The Son of Day
by Like Stars in Twilight
Summary: Two lives, one born of the morning, the other, of the night. A deal is struck, a secret is given, and a king is brought to bear. And they must all deal with the consequences.
1. Prologue

This is practice for me. I want to finish at least one story before I start on a personal project. And, for reference, this is mostly for a friend; after I complete writing this, I'm probably not going to even look at it again. If anyone other than Anzu Fan actually reads this, thanks, but keep in mind that there won't be an ounce of shonen-ai to be found here. Otherwise, enjoy, and don't mind any typos.

To Anzu Fan: How's it going? This is for God, and also for you -- now you'll see my italics! And also the unfortunate, sucky title, too...

_The hunters had gone, three days ago. The sun was setting on the fourth day, the sky gold and red, and steadily growing darker with every moment. Anzu didn't like daylight, but could stand it; others of her kind could not. She spread her wings – they were blue in the sun, and ached at its touch. Closing them, she moved into the shadows._

_The hunters had left one of theirs behind. He was dying, but denying it, fighting it. Strangely, she did not feel hatred for him, even though she feared and despised hunters._ _This one was different_ – _he was so desperate for life, so stubborn, that she felt drawn to him._ _But only a little._

_He was in the darkest part of what had once been Pegasus' palace – the hunters had left it in a ruin, so much so that very little was recognizable. If she had to guess, though, the place where the abandoned hunter had fallen may have once been one of the palace's many ball-rooms. Pegasus, a vampire renown for his extravagant taste, apparently could not have done without a dozen in his palace. Idiot._

_When the hunter caught sight of her, he immediately bristled, fingers weakly going for the sword at his side. She stopped, several feet away from him. The scent of his blood clung to the air – deep and heady. Anzu swept her wings behind her, taking a breath. Then another. Her self-control wavered for a minute, before she got a hold of herself. The hunter kept his focus trained on her, teeth clenched and eyes burning. _

_When he spoke, his voice was harsh. "Why are you here, vampire?"_

_Instead of answering, Anzu moved, slowly circling him. There were bits of sunlight filtering from the ceiling, and pooling on floor. She paced in and out of the beams, treading closer, watching his face._

_He reacted as she expected, body tensing, and hand tightening on the sword._

_"You can't move," she stated, looking at the way he held himself. "I could kill you now."_

_Anzu moved even closer – close enough to see the blood on his night-black armor, close enough to see the traces of veins beneath his skin. His eyes, storm-purple and intense, betrayed only the smallest hint of fear._

_"I'm not going to die here," he said, raising his sword. He tried to slide his legs beneath him, to shift into a fighter's crouch, but his body betrayed him – he collapsed, unable to rise._

_She watched impassively as he shuddered, blood dripping from his side._

_"You don't have to die," she said quietly. "I could save you."_

_He looked up at her, fingers spasming over the hilt of the sword. He breathed deep. "Liar."_

_"No," she whispered, flaring out her wings. "I'm not lying."_

_"Why would a vampire save a hunter? Why would you care?"_

_Because she had plans, ambitions, and he could help her fulfill them. She would use him to get what she wanted, to take revenge on those who had wronged her. And because she could see that he still wanted to live, badly enough to take any offer she might give him, she knew that he was perfect for her machinations. _

_"My reasons are my own," she said simply, "and for you, they aren't important."_

_"I don't need your help. Leave."_

_Anzu absorbed the words, and nodded slowly. Then she left._

_She would be back, tomorrow._

_It was sunset when she returned. She flew around the palace as the sky eased into twilight orange, watching as it fell further into ruin; the hunters had been very thorough. Parts of the palace structure were blackened, burned – and much of it was crumbling, disintegrating into ash. She wondered idly if Pegasus knew this palace had been demolished by the hunters – probably not, but Anzu knew that he had several more, and that, while this was a blow, Pegasus would hardly be fazed._

_Anzu lowered a wing, and spiraled down, landing on one of the palace's remaining balconies. Pegasus had become more powerful than a vampire of his bloodline had a right to be – but now the hunters were hounding him, destroying bits of his self-made empire. She knew he really didn't see them as a threat – Pegasus didn't view humans as anything more worthy than slaves and cattle. He ignored the hunters, and continued taking thousands of mortals as prey from the human cities._

_He underestimated the hunters, and their utter hatred for him. She would use that to her advantage._

_Anzu found her way back to the dying hunter. He had moved from his original spot, and was now crouched beneath a half-fallen pillar. There was a trail of blood, marking his passage, and he'd taken off small parts of his armor, leaving the gleaming black metal scattered on the floor._

_"Go away, vampire," the hunter whispered, chest heaving as he fought for breath._

_Anzu drew close, closer than she had the day before. So close, she could hear the beat of his heart. "What is your name?"_

_He remained silent, staring at her with wary, distrusting eyes._

_"Tell me," she murmured. "Mine is Anzu."_

_The hunter still seemed reluctant, looking away from her, as though she would disappear if he ignored her long enough. But after a moment, he spoke, voice low. "Yugi."_

_Of course, his name had no meaning for her – he was not one of the more infamous hunters, known by vampire and human alike. But that was a good thing – if he was an average, no-name hunter, then the chances of her plan being successful were far greater._

_"Why did they leave you here?" That, Anzu was more than curious about; hunters, vile murderers that they were, never left their own behind. She knew that much about them, at least._

_"They didn't leave me," he said, closing his eyes. "I was supposed to keep up. I didn't. That's all there is to it."_

_His breathing was becoming harsher, and the sound of his heart fainter. Anzu stepped even nearer, until she was standing over him._

_"They betrayed you." Her voice was so low, she barely heard it herself. But Yugi opened his eyes, staring at nothing, and saying nothing. He released a rasping breath. _

_"Doesn't matter," he said, blood welling, then leaking, from his mouth._

_"It does matter. You don't have to die, like I said. I can save you. Let me save you."_

_"There's a catch. There has to be." His purple eyes were losing focus, becoming sightless._

_She lowered herself to the ground, wings arching over his body, and leaned in close, lips to his ear._

_"Just one thing. Take me with you, to your hunter city. Let me stay by your side, as a human."_

_Yugi shut his eyes again, turning his face away, exposing his neck. "I...can't do that."_

_"You can. Don't you want to live?"_

_He was silent, and for a moment, she feared he would refuse, and die beneath the shadow of her wings._

_But his whisper came. "Yes. I want...to live."_

_Anzu had him. Gently, she traced her fingers down his face, then over his neck._

_She inclined her face over his throat, then forced her fangs into that dark artery that pulsed beneath his skin._

_He didn't scream, as most mortals did. But there was something...something warm, and wet, that caressed her cheek._

_Tears. _

_Anzu didn't understand. Mortal feelings were beyond her; she attributed the tears to weakness, and thought no more about them._

_Yugi's hand found her shoulder, and he clung to her, fingers digging into her skin, close to her wing, with surprising strength._

_He released a final breath. "Mercy...God..."_

_She felt his heart stop._

There was something strange about the silence that accompanied waiting – something unnerving. But Anzu had learned patience, a long time ago. She sat at the height of Pegasus' crumbling palace, in the full light of day. Her skin tingled, and her eyes burned a little, but for the most part, she was unaffected. At the moment, she enjoyed the quiet. It would be different, when they left the palace – she knew that mortals liked to dwell in noise, to make it, night and day, in their primitive cities.

"You're a dawn-runner," came Yugi's voice, oddly melodious for a mortal's.

"Yes," she said, though she didn't like the term. Few vampires could walk during daylight, and those who could were often feared by their own kind. 'Dawn-runner' was the human word for those like herself – she'd heard far worse names from her own brethren, so she supposed it was as good as any.

She turned, and saw him standing only a few feet away from her, looking down at what was left of the palace. Seeing him in the daylight, he seemed different – his skin was darker, not pale as it had been, but full of color, and his eyes had lightened, and were an even more intense shade of purple than before. She remembered the taste of his blood, and how his breathing had ceased, and his how his heart had shuddered to a halt – it had only been for a moment, but that moment had been both exhilarating and terrifying. Then he'd begun to breathe again, and his heart started to beat.

"When are we leaving?"

A good question. Anzu stared at him, and he stared back, face impassive. His hair stirred in the wind – the blonde tendrils, against the red and black. She couldn't be sure if the technique had worked properly or not – she had brought him back from death, and he seemed strong, but his eyes...they were defiant.

So now for the test. Anzu said a command, "Kneel."

Shock passed over Yugi's face, and he grimaced, as though in sudden pain. Then slowly, his legs bent, and his knees fell to the ground.

Anzu stood over him, satisfied that the technique had worked, and yet...she didn't feel right, and so she reversed the command. "Stand."

Yugi rose, features written with confusion, and, even more subtly, anger.

"I hope you haven't forgotten the price," she said. "You're going to take me to live with you, to live with the hunters. But I have a bit of insurance, just in case you would change your mind. When I drank your blood, I saved you from dying, but now you must obey me."

She'd made him a slave – his life, in exchange for his freedom. Anzu found it almost unpleasant, even though he was a hunter, and her enemy – but, it was necessary.

Lifting her hand, Anzu idly touched her fingers to his face – and he stood rigid, eyes full of rage.

"Do you understand? You belong to me."

With some difficulty, he spoke. "Then...when are we leaving?" The same question. Anzu smiled.

"Now."

Domino was not like other cities – at night, people roamed the streets, without fear of vampires. It was one of the safest of all of the human cities – but that was because of the hunters.

Yugi didn't notice any hunters on the streets now, and that worried him. It was morning, but there were always hunters out, no matter the time of day; that he couldn't see any, especially so soon after dawn, was strange, and a potentially bad sign.

He walked past cafes and shopping markets, thinking, hardly paying attention to the people around him – they were all civilians, all normal humans. He would have to make his way toward the center of Domino, where the hunters lived – once there, he would take his armor to be repaired, and then report to his superiors.

He didn't look forward to going back – half because he was exhausted, and half because he felt afraid.

Yugi glanced up at the sky, almost expecting to see the vampire, with her blue wings coursing above the city. When they'd left Pegasus' palace, they'd parted their separate ways – with Anzu saying that she would find him, after she took care of some business, first. She had vaulted off from the palace, flying eastward, into the sun. He had gone, taking the long way to Domino – a journey of several weeks, on foot – feeling numb, and ashamed. He was now tied to a vampire, and a traitor to everything he'd been taught, to his own people. The regret was overwhelming, agonizing – he never should have taken Anzu's offer. Vampires couldn't be trusted – they'd been an enemy to humanity for thousands of generations, and now, he had no choice but to lead one right into the very heart of Domino, to endanger every person in the city...

It was another secret that he would have to keep – and because he couldn't change what he had done, he would have to fix it. He didn't know what Anzu's intentions were, but he wouldn't let her do harm here. He would find a way to stop her, somehow...

Yugi lowered his eyes back to the ground, taking a deep breath. People were staring at him – a hunter, fully clad in armor, and walking the streets like an average civilian. Usually, when hunters patrolled the civilian section of Domino, they passed themselves off as normal humans, in casual clothing – only when going on missions to seek vampires were hunters ever supposed to don armor.

No one said anything to him, though. He moved deeper into the crowds and further into the city.

Towards noon, he decided to stop, in an open plaza. The people thinned out here, though some paused over the many fruit and meat stands.

Yugi looked over the stands himself – berries of various kinds, vegetables freshly cooked, steaming slices of chicken and beef. It was strange, but looking at the food, he didn't feel hungry – over the long weeks traveling from Pegasus' destroyed palace back to Domino, he'd barely stopped to eat anything, making straight for the city. Maybe it was his old training, come back to haunt him – he'd learned, over the years, how to live on only small amounts of food, as all hunters were taught. Or maybe it was worry – there was so much that had happened, so much that couldn't be altered.

He should eat. When he got back to the hunter's compound, there wouldn't be time; he would be questioned, probably for hours. He picked up an apple between his fingers, and decided to purchase it, before he could change his mind. The vender stared at him, her eyes riveted on the hand that had taken her apple.

"How much?" he asked. The vender's gaze never left his fingers.

"No charge," the vender said absently. "You're a hunter, after all."

Yugi nodded, and walked away, taking a bite of the apple.

It was gritty, and too sweet, but he ate it anyway. There was still the long way to the center of Domino, and he probably wouldn't make it to the hunters before nightfall. He would need some energy, to deal with his superiors...

"Atem!"

His brother's name made him stop, and he stood still, trying to decide if he should even bother to turn around. Maybe whoever it was would realize their mistake, and just go on their way...

"Atem, wait. What are you doing here, in the civilian district?"

Yugi fought down a sigh. He recognized the voice.

A girl, riding a tall grey horse, drew by his side. The horse half-reared, then settled to a halt, looking long-suffering. Yugi glanced up at the girl – she was small and tanned, with hair that was neither brown nor gold, but some color in between, and dozens of bracelets sliding down her arms.

The bracelets jangled as the girl pulled on the horse's reins. Her eyes widened as she looked directly into Yugi's face.

"_Hold on! _Yugi, you're alive?!"

"That shouldn't be such a big surprise, Mana," Yugi said dryly.

"You're kidding, right? Everyone thought the vampires had taken you – your brother has been so worried – "

Mana had the horse dancing beneath her in her in excitement – so much so that the animal looked ready to rear again, or at least kick at something. Yugi smothered another sigh, and placed a calming hand on the horse's steel-colored neck.

"Atem has a lot of things on his mind," Yugi said slowly. "But he knows me well enough that he wouldn't worry about me."

Mana was staring at him as though she couldn't quite believe what she was hearing. "Are you out of your mind? He's sent out just about every hunter to find you! The whole compound is back at Pegasus' palace, looking for you – "

Yugi doubted that. He knew well enough that Mana, a capable hunter in her own right, and one of his best friends, was prone to exaggeration.

"I guess I should hurry back, then, " he said, humoring her. " Would you give me a ride?"

The horse easily bore both of their weight, and they rode out of the plaza, weaving through the crowds. Eventually, Yugi slid his hands over the reins, and Mana wordlessly relinquished them – she was too excited to properly steer the horse, and Yugi had the steadier hand. She chattered happily at him, jumping from one subject to another.

"Kaiba's been a jerk," she said, gesturing angrily. "But I guess that isn't new. He's just being a bigger jerk, now, ever since one of his dragons was killed."

Yugi blinked, his hands tightening over the reins. "Which one?"

"The youngest. He'll have to make do with three, because Atem wouldn't allow him to go dragon hunting again."

Urging the horse into a faster pace, Yugi said nothing. Kaiba's smallest Blue Eyes had been alive when they'd initially laid siege to Pegasus' palace. That it was dead was a surprise – it took a lot to kill a White dragon.

And, since Kaiba was practically obsessed over his dragons – half in love with them – it was no wonder that he was acting worse than his normal, sarcastic self. Mana, who, for some strange reason, enjoyed taking care of Kaiba's dragons whenever the man was away on missions, had probably ran into him at the times he was the most evil. Which was often.

Slowly, civilian Domino passed away, and transformed into hunter Domino. There were trees here, integrated into the structure of this part of the city – so that hunters could be, at all times, close to the material for creating stakes. The closer one got to the center of Domino, the cleaner and more natural-looking the city became, with its buildings entwined with trees, and the streets paved and white. Moreover, the places that most of the hunters lived in rivaled even Pegasus' palace – hunters were, for the most part, amazingly wealthy.

In the very center was the main hunter compound – where the majority of hunters spent their time, training and preparing for missions. The Compound was almost like a little city in itself; there were markets, restaurants, living quarters, all within the Compound, isolated from the rest of Domino.

When they neared the Compound – after close to two hours of riding – Yugi dismounted, allowing the horse a break from bearing the weight of two people. Mana, who, without her armor, was very light, remained astride, still chattering.

Yugi, reins still in hand, led the horse past the towering pillars of the Compound's only entrance. There were a pair of hunters, standing guard beneath those pillars. Both were in armor – one in crimson and another in green.

The hunter in green armor came forward, hand resting idly on his weapon – a long axe, with a silver, crescent-shaped blade.

"So you're still alive," the hunter said, with hard, brown eyes.

"You sound unhappy," Yugi replied. Then he smiled. "Sorry to disappoint, Jou."

Jonouchi smiled back, and clapped a hand to Yugi's shoulder. "You're a tough little guy. I knew you weren't dead."

Mana growled, and the horse frisked beneath her. "Stop acting like you weren't blubbering like a baby when you heard – "

"Shut up, you little – "

Yugi interceded. "We should go in, guys. I still have to report..."

Jonouchi stopped, halfway to jumping atop the horse to get at Mana. "Wait, report? You're not serious, right?"

"Yes. I am," Yugi said, wanting to get everything over with. The exhaustion was slowly getting to him, and he really needed to just rest, for a moment, before he faced his superiors.

Straightening, Jonouchi looked at Yugi. "I'll come with you," the blonde man said, then glanced back at Mana. "You. Take that horse back to the stables."

"Why should I – " Mana began, angrily.

"– Because you were the one that took the horse out in the first place."

"Fine, fine," Mana mumbled. "You have a point."

Yugi handed the reins back to her, with a promise that he would visit her in the stables when he got a chance.

"Really, Yugi? Then we can take one of the Blue Eyes out for a ride, okay? Later!"

Mana pushed her heels down into the horse's flanks, then sped away.

"What an annoying brat. I'm glad you're back, so at least someone can control her." Jonouchi slid a hand wearily through his blonde hair. "Although, she does a pretty good job of irritating Kaiba – I'll give her that."

They made their way into the Compound, silently at first. Jonouchi kept rubbing his hands over his axe, and then through his hair again, as if unsure about something.

"Jou. Is there a problem?" Yugi asked, frowning.

"No. Nothing's wrong."

Yugi didn't press it any further. As they made their way through the Compound, though, Jonouchi seemed to become even more agitated. Yugi couldn't understand it, but didn't say anything; he was too tired, and Jonouchi was one of the most stubborn hunters he knew. The most stubborn, actually – if Jonouchi didn't want to tell him what was going on, then nothing short of torture would make him speak.

They had been friends for years – ever since Jonouchi decided to make Yugi's life difficult, by bullying him when they were young. Jonouchi had said it had been to "toughen him up," but even then, Yugi had known better – Jonouchi had been vicious, nearing cruelty, when he'd bullied him. Strangely, though, after a few years of suffering Jonouchi's bullying, it had only taken one thing to get the blonde off his case.

A punch in Jonouchi's face.

Since then, he and Jou had been the closest of friends, like brothers. Still, even though Jou was possibly his very best friend, there were things that Yugi could never tell him...

Like about Anzu. He doubted even Jou would forgive him for making a deal with a vampire.

"Hey, you hungry? I could really go for a donut, buddy," Jonouchi said, smirking. "I know you really want to get your report done, but you can't say no to a donut, can you?"

They stopped at a coffee shop – Yugi a little reluctantly, and Jonouchi enthusiastically – and the blonde immediately ordered two dozen different kinds of sweets, a sandwich, and a huge cup of black coffee.

"Want some?" Jonouchi asked, after stuffing a donut in his mouth.

Yugi nearly shook his head, till he caught sight of the piece of cake Jonouchi's hand was now reaching for. He snatched it up, before the blonde's fingers could reach it.

"Hey! That's just cruel, man."

Yugi shrugged,. The cake was a lot better than the apple he'd had, and slowly, he relaxed, all of the tension of returning home draining out of him. Even after all that had happened, it was good to sit here, and forget everything, even if it was only for a moment...

Shock coursed through him as a pair of arms slid around his neck, and a dark curtain of hair fell over his shoulder.

"Yugi," said a voice. "Where have you been?"

It was Anzu, and she looked absolutely human – a beautiful human, with eyes that were the darkest blue that he'd ever seen.

Jonouchi suddenly choked on his donut.

Jou couldn't stop talking about her. It was getting on his nerves; whenever Anzu moved further into the clothes racks, Jonouchi would open his big mouth to ask what had to be the stupidest questions, or comment on the dumbest thing. Where did Yugi meet her? Why didn't he tell Jonouchi straight off about her? Oh, now it's understandable. You were trying to hide her from Atem, is that it?

At the last question, Yugi stopped and looked directly into Jonouchi's face. "Shut up. Now."

"No. I don't think so," the blonde man said, looking smug. "You can't make me shut up. You're too nice to do anything to me..."

Yugi snatched the half a sandwich Jonouchi had in his hand, and tossed it over a jewelry counter.

"What, again!" Jonouchi looked ready to swear, but thought better of it. "You know what? This is getting me nowhere. I don't have to ask you anything – I'm sure Anzu will tell me the details."

Jou stomped off in Anzu's direction, and Yugi let him. He wasn't even sure how exactly he'd gotten into this situation – standing in the middle of a clothes store, watching his idiot of a friend make a fool of himself to a vampire.

Well, a vampire turned human. Watching Jou talk to Anzu, even Yugi, who knew her true identity, would not have been able to notice anything amiss. Laughing, Anzu graced Jonouchi with a smile, talking easily to the blonde about something Yugi couldn't hear. Her eyes slid over to gaze at him, almost playfully, and then she went back to joking with Jou.

They were talking about him, it seemed.

Yugi shook his head, and decided to vacate the premises – he headed outside, to stand in the sunlight. The sun was still bright over the Compound, even though it was well past noon, and entering into evening. Suddenly, he felt strained, and almost overwhelmed – he was back home, among friends, and still alive, having survived yet another mission. But add a vampire into the equation...

He pressed a hand wearily to his forehead. The day had gone well enough so far – but Anzu's sudden arrival had been almost devastating, and the fear that he had felt, with her arms twined around his neck, had been inexplicable, shameful. In that moment, he'd felt the throbbing ache where her fangs had plunged into his throat – the bite marks had long since healed, but the memory lingered, refusing to disappear. The feel of it...agony beyond anything he'd ever known, his blood burning hot, as it was drained from him. And then...the pain had transformed into ecstasy, unbearable, powerful ecstasy.

Yugi realized he was trembling. He clenched his teeth, fighting down the humiliating reaction he was having to the memory.

The first stars appeared, before Anzu and Jonouchi exited the store. Upon seeing Jou, Yugi wondered how the blonde man could have ever been convinced to stay close to a shopping female for longer than a minute. Jou wasn't the type of person to have patience for much anything other than hunting – women's clothing was something completely out of Jonouchi's depth. But Jou was smiling, looking very pleased about something – he even had an arm companionably around Anzu's shoulders.

Yugi focused his eyes on Anzu. Suspicion rose inside of him, but he could find nothing wrong with the sight of her – she looked normal, her white blouse a pale contrast next to Jou's deep green armor. Her eyes met his, and he saw no cold calculation within them, no hidden malice.

"_This_," Jonouchi said, his voice intense, "is my new buddy. Man, Yugi, I never knew shopping could be so awesome."

Yugi stared at his best friend. "Do I know you?"

Anzu laughed, her eyes glittering, as she drew slowly away from Jou, and walked to Yugi's side. Her fingers slid over his hand, cool and terrifying.

"Jonouchi told me you have something important to do," she said, smiling with her beautiful face. "I'm sorry to keep you waiting."

"Yugi doesn't mind," Jonouchi said quickly. Yugi glared at him.

"I really should get going..." Yugi looked away, at the sky that was turning near black.

"Can I come with you?" Anzu's voice was low, but he could suddenly feel a sort of pressure, shading into pain – the same feeling that had passed over him when she had forced him to kneel.

"Do I have a choice?" he whispered. Her fingers grew tighter over his own.

"No," she replied, "no, you don't."

"Hey! Can you two get lovey-dovey some other time? You're making me uncomfortable," Jonouchi complained.

Yugi realized how close they were standing, with their fingers entwined. Anzu's touch was disturbing – it filled him with helpless anger, and he was rarely angry, no matter the situation. If Jou only knew what was going on...

But it was a good thing that he didn't. And Yugi would have to make sure it stayed that way – no one could ever know of his betrayal. His position among the hunters was already tenuous...

His fingers curled around Anzu's. He would play her game, for as long as it took, until he could find a way to be free of her.

"Let's go," he said.

The Compound was different at night – almost brighter than it was during the daytime, with all the street torches lit, and at the center, the Head-Quarters of Domino city, shone in the darkness.

"What is that?" Anzu asked, but not to him – the question was directed at Jonouchi.

"Head-Quarters. That's where we're headed." Jou idly lifted up his axe, and settled the blade against his shoulder.

Head-Quarters towered above most of the Compound, glittering even in the shadows of twilight. Instead of the torches that illuminated the rest of Domino, Head-Quarters was lit by a technology that was not known to most humans – as it was technology that the hunters had stolen from vampires.

Yugi had always thought it beautiful, even though he didn't have good memories of the place; like most hunters, he'd grown up at Head-Quarters, had trained in it, lived in it, since he could remember.

The elaborate columns of Head-Quarters shone, in alternating shades of smooth gold, and the high arching ceiling was veined with the technology they'd stolen from the vampires – veins of blue and green light, that seemed almost a part of the stone. Inside, the light was low, and it took a moment for Yugi's eyes to readjust.

There were a few hunters here, striding in and out of the many massive halls – but Yugi saw one he recognized off-hand, in armor the color of ocean water, with eyes like ice.

"Well, well," Kaiba said, looking him and Anzu over. "You're alive. And you've brought a new friend, no less."

Yugi hoped Jou would stay quiet – he and Kaiba hated each other's guts, and Kaiba was hard enough to deal with, as it was. "Kaiba, this is Anzu. Anzu, Kaiba."

"Nice to meet you," Anzu said, coldly. Yugi blinked, and glanced at her. Anzu's eyes were even icier than Kaiba's. Had she taken a dislike to Kaiba already?

"The pleasure's all mine, I'm sure," Kaiba smirked. "As I suppose it will also be Atem's, as soon as he meets you."

"Atem?" Anzu asked politely.

"Oh? Yugi didn't tell you? Well, you'll find out."

Yugi didn't like the direction this was turning. "Where is he?"

"Upper deck. A-sector," Kaiba said smoothly. "You should head up there, soon. I'm sure the Council will be delighted to see you."

"Yes. Thank you, Kaiba," Yugi replied, slowly. He was already turning away, eager to leave the man's presence, when Kaiba caught sight of Jou.

"Ah, it's the Mutt – "

Yugi didn't need to see Jou's face to know that his best friend was turning to confront Kaiba. As quickly as he could manage, Yugi reached out, and grabbed Jonouchi's armored elbow. "Don't. Now's not the time."

Jou, as stubborn as ever, looked ready to argue. And Kaiba, seeing that Jonouchi was rising to his bait, pressed his advantage.

"How was guard duty, Puppy? I haven't seen you for a while. Although, I've seen plenty of your sister – "

What Kaiba said after that was beyond rude, and Yugi half-wondered how the man could even speak so filthily with such a straight face.

Jonouchi released a snarl, looking ready to slam his axe blade into Kaiba's arrogant mouth. Yugi wrenched him back.

Jou looked down at him, surprised. "You heard him! I'm not going to let that pass – "

"I won't, either," Yugi said. "Let me take care of it." Turning his attention upon Kaiba, Yugi drew his sword.

"What? Are _you _challenging me? I'm thinking you're forgetting your place," Kaiba sneered.

"Meet me in the Dueling arena. One hour."

"You should stop fighting the Mutt's battles for him, Yugi."

"Be quiet," Yugi snapped, a surge of uncharacteristic anger rising inside of him. "Jou's too good of a fighter to waste his energy on you. Or are you afraid?"

Kaiba's eyes were hard. "One hour, then."

Yugi had almost forgotten Anzu's hand in his – when her fingers suddenly squeezed. He looked at her, then at Jonouchi. "Come on."

They made their way to the Upper deck, and for several minutes, Jou was silent. But Yugi knew he wouldn't stay that way for long.

Jonouchi didn't disappoint. "Yugi. You don't have to – "

"I do."

"You don't," Jonouchi said, worry in his voice. "You've just gotten back, and even I can see you're exhausted – "

"I'm fine," Yugi said, knowing it was a lie. He was more than exhausted; his body was worn, and he was pushing it, even now. "Will you do me a favor, Jou?"

"Sure."

Yugi stopped, and slowly turned to gaze at Anzu. Her dark blue eyes almost seemed black, as he stared at her. "Take Anzu and show her around for a bit."

"I – okay," Jou agreed, reluctantly. "What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to see my brother."

The Upper deck was where the most famous and prestigious hunters had their living quarters – so everything, from the halls and corridors, to the communal bathhouses, was elaborate. Yugi knew that most hunters would kill to live in a place like this – but for him, the corridors with their polished wooden floors and suspended lamps weren't impressive.

His brother's quarters were the largest and the most elaborate – on a level all their own, with a receptionist seated before a pair of double doors, to screen any would be visitors. She was blonde, with delicate, gorgeous features – as he walked up to the immaculate white desk, she sighed a little, but didn't bother raising her head.

"What's your business?" Her green eyes remained focused on a thin book, scribbling something on its pages.

"I need to see Atem."

"Don't we all," she said lowly. "He's speaking with one of the Council members right now. Give me your name, and he'll get back to you as soon as he can."

"Which one of the Council members is he with?" Yugi asked.

The receptionist sighed again. "His mother. Satisfied? Now, name, please."

"Yugi," he said softly.

She stopped, her eyes flying to his face. "I – " she began.

"May I see him?"

"Of course !" she jumped up nervously. "I'll take you right to him."

The receptionist led him through the double doors, and directly to a sitting room. Green panes of glass partitioned the room from the rest of his brother's living quarters – the receptionist cautiously slid them open, and beckoned him inside.

Atem was pacing the room, his voice pitched with anger. A woman, with dark hair in shades of black, crimson, and gold, watched Atem, sitting serenely in an ornate silver chair. She wore the formal robes of the Council, which pooled scarlet down to her feet.

"I won't do it," Atem was saying. "And you know my decision is final."

"You do have the final word, as always, Atem," the woman replied. "Just know that the vampires never rest. They'll strike at us if they think we're weak – "

"I know that. But I'm not going to call any of the hunters back, until they find him – "

Yugi stepped forward. "Find who?"

Atem stopped mid-sentence. The woman looked up, and her eyes – purple, like his and Atem's – grew cool.

"Find you, you idiot," Atem hissed. Then Atem smiled slowly. "I guess there's no need."

For an instant, Yugi almost thought Atem looked relieved. But that struck him as wrong – Atem was always confident, and never let worry or relief show. His brother just wasn't that type of person.

Yugi turned to the woman, and bowed a little. "Honored Council member," he said, as respectfully as he could manage. "A pleasure to see you again."

Atem scowled. "What's wrong with you? That's our mother. You don't have to talk to her like – like – "

"A Council member," Yugi supplied. "Which she is."

"You're hopeless," Atem said. Then suddenly, he crossed the room, and threw his arms around Yugi. "But I'm glad you're alive."

Almost too surprised to reciprocate, Yugi hugged his brother back. "I didn't know you cared, Atem."

"I don't. But brotherly hugs precede parties, don't they?" Atem drew back, narrowing his eyes. "We're going to celebrate. And no arguments, got it? I promised God that I would get you to join a party – "

"More like you bet Jou that you could – "

"You know about that?" His brother blinked. "Then could you come? I kinda bet my armor that you would..."

"Jou will look good in it."

"Evil. That's what you are." Atem inclined his head back. "Mother. It seems like you'll get what you want. I'll call everyone back."

Atem didn't understand the relationship Yugi had with...their mother. When his brother left the sitting room – after the receptionist poked her head in, informing him of some urgent news – Yugi had immediately bowed again, and then kneeled. In the back of his mind, he thought of Anzu, forcing him to kneel – but this was different. This he had done since he was little – his mother had always required it.

"Don't say anything," his mother said, her voice sharp, with an edge like a sword. "I don't need to hear your report. Nor does the rest of the Council."

"I...don't understand, Council member."

"You almost didn't return. That means you almost failed." There was a pause, and Yugi heard the soft movement of the silk of her robe. "Perhaps you need more training."

Yugi felt himself go pale. "I'll do better, Council member."

"You will. I won't have a weakling fight by Atem's side."

"No, Council Member."

"Tell me now," she said, her voice becoming sharper. "Are there any cravings?"

He clenched his teeth. "No."

"Good." Her fingers slowly slid beneath his chin. His mother's eyes were cold, appraising. "You look just like him. But you're not him. You'll never be anything like Atem. You're not worth half of what he is."

She kneeled, and pulled him into her embrace. His mother pressed her cheek against his. "Atem's life depends upon you. If you die, who will protect him? Who will take the killing strike meant for him? Don't fail him, Yugi. Don't fail."

He took a breath, and closed his eyes. "I won't."

The dueling arena was silent. Kaiba enjoyed silence – especially the quiet just before one of his dragons released their white lightning. And the quiet after, as well – when the dust cleared, and everything lay in ruin.

Yugi was on time. The man stepped out into the arena, black armor gleaming. From a distance, Kaiba would not have been able to differentiate him from his twin, had it not been for that armor. Atem had come out into the arena with Yugi, and he looked angry – not that Kaiba cared. He imagined that Yugi, third-rate hunter that he was, had decided to go back on his challenge – and Atem was here to help smooth things over.

Kaiba met them in the arena's center. The two of them stared at him for a moment, Atem's eyes full of cold rage, and Yugi's calm and determined. Kaiba waited.

"This is an unauthorized duel," Atem finally said – just as Kaiba had expected him to. "And as such, I have the right to end it."

"And you should," Kaiba replied. "I wouldn't want you to see me trounce your brother into the ground, Atem."

Atem glared at him. Then he smirked. "Jumping the gun, Kaiba. I was about to say that, though I have the right, I'm not going to use it. I'm looking forward to seeing my brother hand you your – "

Jonouchi's yell cut across the arena. "Give that jerk a kick in the face for me, Yugi!"

Atem pointed a thumb. "What Jou said."

Kaiba shrugged impatiently. "Let's get this over with."

Atem decided to referee the match. It didn't much matter to Kaiba – he was going to win, without much effort, not matter who oversaw the duel. And, since he despised Atem almost as much as he hated the Mutt – well, maybe more so – it would be an added bonus to completely destroy his brother in front of him.

Atem stood between them, as he and Yugi faced off. "Weapons?"

Yugi already had his sword drawn. Kaiba readied two of his blades, flattened stakes, tipped with steel.

Atem stepped back, and away. "Duel."

"Heh." Kaiba smirked, and surged forward, swinging his stakes, aiming for Yugi's heart. The man parried, but not strong enough – Kaiba was able to force his sword away, and graze him on his black-armored shoulder. Yugi turned with the blow, and shifted his grip on the hilt of the sword – and parried again, before Kaiba could get another strike. Twisting, Kaiba disengaged, and then surged forward again, crossing the twin blades of his stakes. Yugi's sword came down, and was caught in the middle of them.

"This," Kaiba said, crossing his blades further, trapping the sword blade, "is the difference between us."

He forced the sword up, and uncrossed his stakes, ready to slash at Yugi's torso – but the man evaded, a second before Kaiba's blades came together again. But Yugi was too slow – no faster than a novice hunter, fresh from training. A weakling, as Kaiba had known he was.

It was almost disappointing. Yugi shared his twin's face – really, Kaiba often had difficulty telling which from which – but none of his skill, none of Atem's power. A hunter this weak had no place among the ranks of true vampire killers...

A liability. A man allowed to play at vampire hunting, because of his family ties – but Kaiba wondered. Atem knew the sort of fighter Kaiba was – he knew that Kaiba gave no mercy, not to vampires, or hunters who thought themselves good enough to challenge him. Perhaps Atem had allowed this duel to rid himself of this embarrassment...

Kaiba would do so gladly – he despised the weak.

"Play time's over." Kaiba pulled back his arm, and stabbed Yugi just above the collar bone.

Blood splattered, dark and crimson. It was human blood, not vampire, but Kaiba reveled in it none-the-less.

His opponent stilled, sword point dropping toward the ground. Kaiba glanced at Atem, and saw the man's face – eyes narrowed, and filled with hate. Kaiba smiled. A brother's corpse would be hard to deal with...

"You're right. Play time is over." Yugi was still standing, looking unaffected by the stake blade inches deep beneath his throat.

His sword came up – faster than before, its blade slamming into Kaiba's arm, forcing him to wrench the stake from his shoulder. There was more blood, but Kaiba saw that the wound he'd inflicted was not as deep as it should have been – merely a shallow gash.

The man came at him, suddenly inside of Kaiba's guard, blocking the stakes with the length of his sword. Somehow, Yugi managed to kick him, full in the jaw – Kaiba recoiled, and fought to keep from stumbling.

"That was for Jou."

It had been a dilemma from the beginning. Yugi had been the one to issue the challenge at Kaiba – and perhaps he shouldn't have. But Jou was his friend – and Yugi was tired of hearing Kaiba's snide remarks, of his constant, arrogant posturing. Still, from the start of the duel, he had fought with himself, not sure whether he should battle Kaiba. That had made him hesitant, and unfocused – which Kaiba had taken advantage of.

The man was a strong hunter – one of the strongest, and possibly the most ruthless. But Yugi never entered a fight unless he had to – and that was only against vampires. All of his life, he'd avoided allowing other hunters to see what fighting skill he had; that was the agreement that he held with the Council, and with his mother. He had been forced to stay at the bottom ranks, to hide himself, and to never draw attention.

Besides that, he was low-ranking among the hunters. No one cared to see the skills of such a hunter – and Yugi, well aware of where he stood, didn't bother to display them.

Now it was different – Kaiba was trying to kill him. Yugi wasn't surprised, not at Kaiba's intent, nor at the wound that the man had inflicted. From Kaiba's face, icy blue eyes gleaming with a bit of shock, it seemed that he had expected Yugi to fall, or at least be handicapped, after he had stabbed him.

The man was backing away, hand pressed to his face where Yugi had kicked him. Yugi shifted his grip over his sword, then removed the bit of damaged armor above his still bleeding wound. Yugi had suffered worse, much worse, than this, from his training.

Kaiba suddenly surged at him again, stakes moving faster, their steel tips glittering. He was taking Yugi a little more seriously. Taking a breath, Yugi moved to intercept him.

He'd never enjoyed fighting. It always left him feeling wrong – as though he were committing a sin. But could push aside that feeling when he had to – like now. His training, and his experience fighting vampires, came back to him, and he slid into a trance, and just moved, ignoring the pain in his shoulder.

Kaiba was fast – just as fast as a vampire. But Yugi, a good deal shorter, was even swifter; his sword turned away Kaiba's attacks almost as soon as the man could think them. Kaiba lowered his blades, and gave ground, anger warring with frustration in his eyes.

Yugi needed to end this soon. The blood loss, coupled with his exhaustion, would take him down; his vision was already going unfocused at the edges.

Kaiba did have a weakness: he was arrogant. As a fighter, it made him overconfident – and reckless. As Yugi began to slow, from his wound and the inevitable fatigue, Kaiba found his second wind, and lunged, stakes poised for Yugi's throat.

He wasted no time, surging inside Kaiba's guard again, and slashing at one of the man's wrists. Kaiba grimaced, and dropped one of his stakes. The other stake passed close to Yugi's neck, but missed the mark.

Yugi's sword whistled, the blade singing, as he forced it into an arc – and it tore Kaiba's blue armor. Before the man could react, Yugi reversed the direction of his sword, pieces of armor flying – and his blade found the skin just beneath Kaiba's ear.

His opponent stilled, his blue eyes falling to the sword's metal edge, pressed close to his jugular vein.

"Surrender," Yugi said, his voice harsh.

After the fight was over, Yugi wanted to sleep. But between his brother and Jou, he ran into problems. The first was the utter disbelief – Jonouchi was staring at him as though he'd never seen him before. And Atem cast him calculating, narrowed-eyed glances, weighing and judging.

"You fight well," his brother finally said. That should have been the end of it, but it wasn't – Anzu, trailing Jonouchi gracefully into the arena, caught Atem's eye.

And that was the second problem. Atem had a taste for beautiful women; and Anzu, even as a human, was striking, almost more than beautiful, if that were possible.

Atem said nothing at Anzu's presence – he merely gave her a momentary, searching gaze, and then looked away.

"You should go to the infirmary. That wound needs treating." Atem said this lowly, and then turned, striding out of the arena.

Yugi almost didn't want to make anything out of his brother's behavior – but he knew Atem too well. Right now, though, he was tired, and there was enough for him to worry about.

Anzu slid her fingers into his hand again. Wordlessly, he led her out of the arena, Jonouchi following close behind.

"Kaiba hates you now," Jonouchi said cheerfully, as they made their way to the infirmary. "He hasn't been this angry since his dragon was killed." Jou sounded positively gleeful. "That kick you gave him will stay forever in my memory, Yugi. I'm sorry if I ever doubted you."

"You doubted him?" Anzu said, looking over at the blonde hunter sharply.

"Well...yeah," Jou replied, voice honest. "Kaiba's a jerk, but he isn't a pushover..."

Anzu frowned. "I see."

The infirmary was mostly empty – there were only a few healers, pulling the night shift. One of them just happened to be Jonouchi's sister – the quiet and demure Shizuka.

She blinked up at the three of them, taking in Yugi's shoulder, Jonouchi's foolish grin, and Anzu's fingers twined within Yugi's own. She made no comment, and with a gentle smile, beckoned the three of them into a room, white and sterile, with a firm-looking bed.

When she did speak, she directed her first question at Yugi. "No sooner than you get back, safe and sound from a mission everyone thought you'd died of, then you go entering a duel with possibly the meanest hunter alive. What did my brother do to get you get you on the wrong side of Kaiba?"

"Hey! Why are you trying to place the blame on me?" Jonouchi gripped.

"Because you're standing here, looking absurdly happy, with not a scratch on you – while Yugi looks dead tired, with a torn shoulder." Shizuka sighed, shrugging. "This always happens. You always manage to get Yugi in trouble."

Jou actually looked offended. Yugi leapt to his defense. "I was defending your honor, Shizuka."

"I understand. Kaiba said something unkind about me, my brother tried to attack him, and you end up challenging the man to a duel. Very nice."

Yugi glanced at Jou. The blonde man released a breath. "I don't know how she does it. I think she's a little telepathic..."

"I'm not," Shizuka retorted. "You're just very predictable."

She told Yugi to remove the rest of the armor from his shoulder. With a quick glance, Shizuka evaluated the gash, and sighed again.

"You're going to have to stay the night. The cut's not bad, or deep, but it could get infected – and you're exhausted." Shizuka suddenly glanced at Anzu. "I'm sorry. I've been ignoring you all of this time. Are you Yugi's friend, too?"

There was a pause. Anzu leveled Shizuka with dark blue eyes. "Yes."

Shizuka smiled brightly. "I thought so. Would you mind hanging around for a bit, while my brother goes to take care of some business?"

"Business? What business – "

Shizuka turned, frowning. "You're going to make sure that she gets a room. She looks tired, too, and she's a guest here, so make sure that it's a nice one."

Grumbling, Jou left the infirmary. Yugi watched him go, feeling strangely uneasy.

Shizuka stood, clapping her hands, and looked from Yugi to Anzu. "So. Are you two an item?"

Yugi had never felt happier leaving the infirmary. Come morning, he thanked Shizuka for stitching his shoulder, accepted her gentle hug and warning not to stress the wound too much, and left, without another word.

The night had been longer than he had expected – with Shizuka asking uncomfortable, insane questions, and Anzu sitting so silently, staring at him with intense eyes while Shizuka closed his wound. When Jou had returned, and readily escorted Anzu to a room – a good one, on the Upper deck – he had instantly felt worry creep down his spine. He didn't like the idea of being separated from her, of being unable to watch her every move, should she try something – but there had been nothing he could say, unless he wanted to reveal her identity. He doubted that he would have been able to, even if he had wanted – the power she held over him would have stopped him, he was sure.

So that left him to his unease. After Shizuka had gone, he had tried to sleep – the infirmary bed was comfortable enough, the sheets utterly clean. But sleep didn't come easily, and for most of the night, he'd lain awake, thinking and listening to the quiet shuffling of the healers. He still didn't know

what Anzu's intentions were, and if he wanted to keep everyone safe, he'd have to find out, and soon – and he would have to keep her away from his brother.

Walking down the halls, he decided first to head to his room, to change out of his armor and into normal clothes.

His room, in an almost obscure part of Head-Quarters, wasn't large – not much bigger than the infirmary room he'd spent the night in. But it felt good to be back; he sat down, laid out his armor, and half-contemplated going back to sleep again. There was too much to be done, though – so instead, he took a shower, and put on normal clothes. The first thing that needed to be done was to get his armor repaired, so he had to head to the forge.

Yugi took his armor, and went down to the ground level of Head-Quarters. The air here was hot, close to stifling, and when he got the forge, there was only one person around – Mako, the metal smith.

The man was working on a spearhead, the flames of the forge leaping behind him. On the walls, gleaming steel and iron weapons hung, and newly made armor shone, bronze and red and silver.

When Yugi approached, Mako looked up, grunted, then pointed at the anvil across from him. "Put your armor there, Yugi."

Yugi did as he was told. "The right shoulder plate and the bottom half of the chest plate are the most damaged."

"I'll have them fixed, and the rest re-polished before tomorrow." Mako paused, in the middle of hammering the spearhead into an elaborate point. "It's good to see you alive, by the way."

"Thanks." Yugi made to leave, but Mako raised a hand.

"You're little friend came down here a few minutes ago," Mako said. "Mana, yes? She took one of the dragon saddles. I think you might want to intercept her, so she doesn't get in trouble with Kaiba."

Yugi sighed. "That girl needs a keeper."

Mako laughed, the forge flames throwing shadows against his darkly tanned and scarred skin. "You're her keeper, my friend. Have fun."

It was a good thing that the stables weren't far from the forge. The rows of horse stalls stretched for close to a mile, down to the pen where the White dragons were kept. Yugi walked quickly, and then picked up the pace, when he heard a deep-throated, agitated roar.

The dragon pen, huge and smelling slightly of electricity, looked like nothing more then a cavern – it was dark inside, the high, cave-like ceiling preventing the entrance of sunlight. Despite the darkness, Yugi could make out three glowing sets of eyes, and glittering, pale scales shifting in the gloom.

His vision slowly adjusted, just as a massive head swung close to his. It was Kaiba's largest dragon, mouth rippling over fangs longer than the length of his arm. The dragon released a deep breath, which had a hot scent, like a lightning bolt.

Yugi drew his fingers in a caress over the dragon's jaws. The skin was smooth and warm; the dragon's shining blue eyes lidded, and she made a sound, like a contented growl.

"That one only likes Kaiba. You must have some sort of heavenly touch, Yugi," came Mana's voice. Suddenly, the girl was bouncing at his side, bracelets jangling. "She tried to take my leg off, earlier."

"And yet you're still here."

"Well, the other two can stand me..."

"Enough to ride?" Yugi glanced at her. "If Kaiba was in a bad mood before, then he's even worse now. You should wait, until he goes off on another mission."

"Yeah. I heard about your duel," Mana said, and in the dark, he could see her sheepish smile. "I wish I could have been there. I've never seen you fight."

"Nothing to see," he said, placing his other hand against the dragon's jaw. The dragon snorted, and closed her eyes completely. "I'm not that great of a fighter."

Mana snorted, sounding not unlike the dragon. "Your modesty is killing me, Yugi. You defeated Kaiba." The girl lowered her brows in seriousness. "_Kaiba._ The only hunter better than Kaiba is Atem – "

Mana suddenly stopped talking. Yugi looked sharply at her. "What is it?"

"I...I just remembered something," she said, voice dropping to a whisper. "I saw Atem today. He was with this woman...brown-haired, blue-eyed and gorgeous. I've never seen her before..."

Yugi went still. "Where did you see them?"

"They were leaving the Compound." Mana gave a deep-winded sigh. "Atem goes through so many girlfriends so quickly..."

As calmly as he could, he gave the White dragon one last caress down her immense snout. "Yes. He does." Yugi took a step back, away from the dragon. The dragon's eyes suddenly opened, dismayed. "I should go."

Mana smirked at him. "I know what you're thinking. And I want to come, too."

Yugi stared at her.

"Oh, come on. You're so transparent, Yugi. I know that you're going to trail them. I'll be around to make sure you don't get into trouble."

"And who's going to be there to make sure you don't get into trouble?"

"Funny. Very funny."

They left the dragon pen together, Yugi already sure he was going to regret this.


	2. As The Sun Rises

Hmm. Thanks, to those who reviewed. I will get to your individual responses, as soon as I may. And, if you haven't, go and read Anzu's Fan's stories. All of them. Now to the story:

* * *

The plan was going well, better than expected. Anzu stared around her, at the room Jonouchi had escorted her to – it was spacious, with palely golden walls and dark ceiling, with an immense bedroom and an elaborate, if small fountain at its center.

"This is...thank you, Jonouchi," she said. The blonde hunter looked pleased.

"You're welcome," he replied, running a hand through his hair, almost nervously. "I'll be back tomorrow, to make sure you've settled in ."

The hunter left, saying nothing more. Anzu waited, staring at the door; after some time, she felt safe, and turned the silver lock above the door's handle. She drew a deep breath.

As she released the air from her lungs, she let her wings out. It was slow, and painful, but once they were free, she was finally able to relax. She stretched them to their fullest extent, and suppressed the urge to find open air, to fly out of this place. It had been too long since she'd used her wings, and this place, full of so many humans, was trying – there were deep instincts, both to fly and to kill, that grew more insistent the longer she remained in the presence of so many mortals.

She padded quietly to the bed, the sheets black and ivory satin. She sat down on its edge, allowing herself a moment to relax with her wings out, and contemplate her next move.

The first part of her plan was a success – she was deep in the heart of Domino, right in the midst of the hunters. No one seemed to suspect her, and the only person with the power to reveal her identity was firmly in hand. Even now, she could feel Yugi's presence, a side effect of drinking his blood. At all times she knew where he was, and could, to some small extent, pick up his thoughts, his emotions. Right now, if someone asked her, she could point out his exact location – and even explain that he was feeling tense and worried. His shoulder pained him, and she could sense his restlessness. He wouldn't sleep well, tonight.

The bond – a blood bond – didn't go both ways. She could feel him, but he had little idea of her exact location, and if he knew what she was feeling now, he would probably stop at nothing to track her down.

It had been weeks since she'd last fed – and that had been on Yugi's blood. The hunger was returning, in full force; she would have to feed soon, or she would become weak, blood weary.

Flicking a wing out, she laid down on the bed, allowing her other wing to slide off of the bed's edge. Blood was the least of her worries, though – she was here, among the hunters, but now she needed to push forward with her plan. She had Yugi under control, but he wasn't enough; if she wanted to get her revenge, she would need the entire hunter city under her thumb.

From what she had seen, that would be difficult; Yugi was not an influential hunter. Even his closest friend, Jonouchi, did not particularly seem to have a large amount of faith in him. And that struck her as strange. She, too, had initially thought him weak – but after watching him fight that icy-eyed hunter, Kaiba, she was not so sure anymore.

Anzu had rarely feared any hunter – she was not in the habit of being frightened by mortals, no matter how strong. But Kaiba... he had smelled so strongly of vampire blood, that she couldn't help but be a little terrified of him. The man was a monster among hunters, a mass murderer of her kind. She had seen in the man a cold efficiency, and a love for shedding blood...and not just vampire blood. Kaiba had, without hesitation, attempted to kill Yugi.

And yet...Yugi had been able to defeat him. Both his twin, Atem, and Jonouchi had seemed just as surprised as she – perhaps even more so.

But his victory over Kaiba had not seemed to affect his standing as a hunter. Yugi's brother had hardly said a word to him, and had looked almost...calculating, as though he hadn't known his brother's own strength.

It all added down to something very odd – something Anzu could not place her finger on. Yugi was all but her slave now, but she knew very little about him, and there was something hidden about him, something obscured from sight.

Anzu closed her eyes. She shouldn't waste her time worrying about Yugi, though – even if he was stronger than he appeared, he wielded no true power among the hunters.

But his brother, Atem, did. She could see it, the way he held himself – despite the fact that they were twins, Atem and Yugi couldn't have been more different. Atem emanated a confidence bordering on arrogance; Yugi was the opposite, humble and almost gentle, for all that he was a hunter.

Opening her eyes, she watched as shafts of moonlight drifted over her bed, then over her wings.

Anzu rarely slept for long, for her kind had little need of sleep, like humans did. But the lack of blood in her system made her weary, though she remained awake, for another hour more, thinking of Yugi and Atem.

She would use them both, and bring the hunters down to their knees. Then, she would take her vengeance upon Pegasus.

When she arose the next day, it was dawn, and early. The hunger was becoming worse, and she was sluggish, and fatigued. But she forced herself out of bed, and into the bathroom. The bath she took woke her a little, and she cleaned her wings, before resuming her human form. By mid morning, she was dressed and mortal-looking, taking the time to enjoy watching the sun rise to its zenith from her window.

There was a knock at her door. Expecting Jonouchi, she went to open it, but paused, her fingers hovering over the door's handle. The person on the other side of the door was not the blonde; there was a different scent, not like Jonouchi's earthy one.

"Who is it?"

"A friend, Anzu."

She slowly opened the door. It was Atem, though for an instant, she mistook him for Yugi. Their faces were so similar, but after a moment, she noticed that Atem's eyes were darker, his skin more bronze.

"Can I come in?"

She nodded, and opened the door further. She wondered at his presence, but said nothing as he walked past her.

"I'm sorry I didn't introduce myself before, in the arena," he said. "But since we don't get guests here often, I've come here to rectify that."

He smiled, and gave a tiny bow. "So, I'm Atem. Welcome to Domino's Head-Quarters, Anzu. Jou gave me your name, by the way."

Anzu didn't really know how to reply, so she nodded. "Yes. You're Yugi's brother. I guess that's obvious, though."

"I suppose," Atem murmured. "If we weren't twins, though, I don't think even I would know that we were brothers. Yugi's got his own style, and it's completely different from mine." He glanced at her, eyes suddenly sharp. "Although, given that he's found a friend like you, I guess we're a little more alike than I thought."

Anzu didn't understand what Atem meant by that, but decided, by the look of him, that he meant to stay for a while. She pointed to her bed. "Make yourself at home."

They both sat companionably on the edge of her mattress, with Anzu on one side, and Atem on the other. They talked – or rather, Atem talked, and Anzu listened politely – for several hours, until it was close to noon. Anzu found that Atem was interesting, for a human; he spoke of his childhood, and more of himself, as though they were old friends.

"So, I don't know how much you know about hunters," he said, "but here's the run-down. I am, more or less, the head honcho here."

"Such modesty," Anzu remarked, smiling despite herself.

Atem grinned. "I do try. Anyway, long story short, since I was four, I've been trained to take over the leadership of the hunters. Not exactly the job I would have had in mind for myself, but it works. Although, I'd much rather be playing cards somewhere, maybe on an exotic island, and sleeping on hammocks the rest of my life..."

"So you didn't have a choice?" she asked.

"Being a hunter? No. It kind of comes with the blood."

"And that means...?" Anzu prompted.

"That none of us have a choice. My family have been hunters for generations. We've been bred for fighting vampires." He sighed, then leaned back on her bed. "At least, that's what my mother has always told me."

"So..."

"So, if you have even a drop of hunter blood in your family, then you're trained to be a hunter. The stronger your blood, the greater potential you have for rising in the ranks. Some families have such strong blood that they're basically like aristocracy around here."

"Like yours," Anzu said.

"Like mine," Atem agreed. "Although, at times, this blood thing is more like a curse."

"What do you mean?"

"Just because you happen to be born to a family with strong blood, doesn't mean that you'll have strong blood yourself," he said, looking away from her, his dark eyes staring at nothing. "It's rare, but sometimes there are people born almost completely without the talent to hunt, even though they may have generations of skilled hunters in their line."

"What do you do with those people?"

"Some are sent to live in the civilian part of Domino, to lead normal lives. But on occasion, some are forced to become hunters, hunter blood or not, because their families don't want to deal with the embarrassment."

Anzu frowned. "Sounds like a death sentence."

Atem turned to gaze at her. "It is. They're almost always killed."

Something clicked inside of her mind. "Almost? You mean, except for your brother."

Atem blinked. Then he smiled. "You put two and two together really quick. Yeah, Yugi was born without hunter-blood. But he's still alive, and giving the vampires a hard time, although I don't understand how he does it."

He suddenly waved his hand, and changed the subject. "But enough about blood, and my brother," he said, eyes gleaming. "I want to know a bit about you. How about we go out, and see some of the city? I'll show you all of my favorite places."

Anzu had no thought to refusing – this was the opportunity that she needed, and she was going to take it. "Sure."

Within the next hour, she was following him sedately along the streets, and into a white-walled restaurant. There was the smell of exotic spices around the place, and the cream colored floors were etched with designs of open-winged cranes. Immediately, they were led to the lowest lit part of the restaurant, with elaborate lamps hanging above a secluded booth.

They sat down, and Anzu cast a look at Atem. He stared back, then smirked. "Anything you want."

There was nothing that a human restaurant could offer her – but she nodded, and looked over the menu. She made a show of careful consideration, all the while aware of Atem watching her.

"So," he said finally, chin resting idly on his hand. "What about you?"

Anzu gave him her rehearsed answer. "There's not much to say. I lived in a city not far from here, but I needed a change. My room-mate was getting tired of me, so I decided to set out here, and try to catch a glimpse of a hunter."

"Well, you've caught more than a glimpse," he murmured. "But you're not telling me everything – and I want to know everything. Parents?"

"I'm an orphan." And that wasn't really a lie. Her parents had died, so long ago...and yet, she could still remember their faces, their memory, as clear as day.

"I'm sorry. I'm sure they were good people."

Anzu nodded. They had been vampires of power, descendants of one of the strongest vampire bloodlines in a thousand years. But that hadn't saved them – they'd been killed ruthlessly, a death savage even by vampire standards. "I miss them, but they raised me well enough before they passed."

"Yes. So I can tell." He leaned back, resting his arms above the booth. "Now, tell me more. Favorite color? Hobbies? Do you like shopping?"

By the time their food arrived, Anzu had told Atem every facet of her planned story. An orphaned human girl struggling in a remote city, living up till this point with a friend, until she could save enough money to move to Domino, and start a new life. Atem seemed genuinely interested – his gaze hardly left hers, even when he began eating.

Anzu ate slowly. The steak that she'd ordered was rare, and the bit of blood within it was enough that she could swallow most of it, without getting sick. Anything else, she wouldn't have been able to stomach – not now, with her so hungry for blood.

When they left the restaurant, Atem ceased asking her questions – he stopped talking altogether, taking her hand again, and leading her across the white paved streets. The steak had settled a little uneasily upon her stomach, but she followed him as quickly as she could, as he wove in and out of the crowds. He really didn't have to – as soon as people saw him coming, they immediately moved out of the way.

A few of them said his name, and it rose into a chant, until people were drawing away from Atem, and pointing at him, faces written with shock and admiration.

"Ignore them," Atem said.

They arrived at a place that was simply immense, in the middle of a busy looking plaza. People continued to part, murmuring excitedly at the sight of Atem. Anzu found it disconcerting, with so many mortals about – and there was something else, a feeling, that was familiar.

In the corner of her eye, she saw a human girl, one of the few on a horse. The girl expertly guided the horse, a creature that was utterly black, with her knees and a light touch of the reins. Swinging the animal's reins, the girl turned the horse's head, and moved deeper into the seething crowds. But as she did so, Anzu saw a person walking at the horse's side, fingers threaded in the animal's reins.

Yugi.

Their eyes met, and she stared at him, hardly able to believe that he was here, and that she had not felt him through the blood bond. The moment didn't last long; as the horse turned, both he and the human girl disappeared from sight.

Atem hadn't noticed his brother – he kept walking, faster now, and she strode to keep up.

He led her to a new building, one that was even more extravagant than the restaurant – an open-air place, with green and blue silken awnings. They passed under the awnings, sweeping by the elaborately dressed manikins that stood beneath them.

"We're here," Atem murmured, voice playful. "One of my favorite places."

"A clothing store?" Anzu asked, confusedly.

"But not just any clothing store," Atem replied. He snapped his fingers, and immediately, a harried looking woman lifted her head from behind the manikins, like a rabbit standing to attention. When she saw Atem, she quickly hurried over, and bowed.

"It's been a long time, Atem," the woman said. She had hair the color of honey, and a pleasant face, with a deep blush writing itself across her cheeks.

"It has." He turned to Anzu, looking her over with a quick sweep of his eyes. "My friend – Anzu – would probably look best in some ivories and reds. We'll start with that."

It took a moment for Anzu to understand what was going on – but by the time the honey-haired girl had gently taken her by the wrist, and was leading her across the store, going through the endless items of clothing, it finally clicked.

"Wait," Anzu protested, looking back at Atem, "I've already been shopping for clothes – "

"Not here," Atem said, smirking. "You're starting a new life here in Domino. That means that you should have a new wardrobe, to suit."

The honey haired woman moved surprisingly quick for a mortal, reminding Anzu of a little, swift fingered whirlwind, grabbing at bits of clothing, looking over shoes with a critical eye, and swiping up some long heeled ones. Then, the woman led Anzu to the end of the store, to the dressing rooms.

Strangely enough, all of the clothes – and there were so many, they seemed countless, endless – fit her to perfection, and there was not one, shirt, dress, or pair of pants, that she didn't like. The shoes, despite all being long heeled, were beautiful, and oddly comfortable.

By the time she had tried everything on – finding absolutely no fault in anything – the honey haired girl knocked on the dressing room door, and slid one last piece of clothing to Anzu.

"Sorry to interrupt," the girl said, "But Atem thought this would look good on you."

It was a dress, an incredibly sleek one, the material a dark sapphire. Frowning, she took the dress, sliding her fingers over its length. Slowly, she tried it on – and stared at herself critically in the dressing room's mirror.

The dress made her look very human. If nothing else, that was a good thing – but at the same time, she liked it more than she should have. She could envision herself letting out her wings, to see the contrast of her feathers against its fabric, to see if she would look just as good in it in her true form...

"Very beautiful," said Atem's voice near her ear. She hadn't sensed him come into the dressing room, and his sudden closeness was surprising.

"You shouldn't be in here. This is a woman's dressing room..."

He moved closer, until she could see him clearly standing behind her in the mirror. "The perks of being the head honcho include intruding into the women's dressing rooms, whenever I choose."

"Sounds suspicious," Anzu replied, amused.

"It is," he said, voice low. "And I suppose this is, too."

His fingers found her chin, lifting it gently – and he kissed her. It was a slow caress of his lips against hers – then he drew back, his eyes darkening. This close, she could see why the honey haired girl had blushed; he was very attractive for a mortal.

"Meet me outside when you're done," he said, and left the dressing room, just as quietly as he'd come.

Anzu stared at the dressing room door. She hadn't known that human men were so brazen – she felt unsure, unable to understand Atem's motive in kissing her. They'd only just met this morning, after all. Anzu shook her head, confused.

Maybe it was the dress.

A few moments later, she met Atem outside, as he had asked. She felt awkward, and unsure; did the kiss mean anything? Among her kind, such shows of desire went unseen – vampires, in general, were not demonstrative in their emotions. It was all very strange to her, and she realized that humans were more complicated than she'd first thought – and far more given to affection than her own kind.

Atem had, apparently, already taken care of everything – the clothes were paid for, and were now being loaded onto a horse-drawn carriage. Anzu found such a mode of transportation to be interesting; the carriage was made of some sort of smooth, white metal, with elaborate steel wheels. Very primitive, yet she supposed that humans had to make do with such things – since they didn't have wings.

Atem swung one of the carriage doors open, taking her hand, and helped her inside. His fingers lingered against hers for a moment, and he looked directly into her eyes.

"Tomorrow, there's going to be a celebration in the evening," he said softly. "I would like it if you could come, and wear the dress – for me."

Anzu struggled for the right word. "Like a...date?"

He smiled. "You can call it whatever you want."

A moment later, he went to talk to the driver of the carriage – a very pale human, with skin nearly translucent, and white hair. The pale human nodded nervously to whatever Atem was telling him, casting his eyes backward towards Anzu.

Atem clapped a hand on the pale human's back, and then returned to Anzu again. "My friend Ryou is going to take you on a tour of the city. You'll have to forgive me, but I'm going to have to leave you for a time. Duty calls."

"I understand," Anzu said.

"No, I don't think you do," he replied, eyes deadly serious. "But I will see you tonight, hopefully. Have fun."

Then he was gone, melting into the crowds, and vanishing.

The human Ryou was shy, but surprisingly talkative once he got started. As they trudged through Domino, he made the perfect tour guide, readily answering any questions that Anzu had about the city.

Twilight fell, and street torches suddenly flamed to life. Ryou pointed to a building, made entirely of darkly gray glass. "That is Domino's main art gallery," he said, then shifted his finger to indicate the building on the gallery's opposite side. "And that is the museum. It was built a few years ago, and it's one of Atem's hangouts."

"So he likes museums," Anzu murmured, gazing at the museum's bronze dome. "But, if you don't mind my asking, what does that have to do with me?"

"Well...uh..." Ryou blushed, and looked at her. "Aren't you two...well..."

"Going out?" supplied a voice.

A black horse, with its neck arched, drew close to the carriage – and the girl that Anzu had seen earlier, with gold and brown hair, and intent, curious eyes, was the one who had spoken. And seated directly behind her, holding the horse's reins, was Yugi.

Again, Anzu felt a small surge of shock that she hadn't sensed him – but now that she was looking at him, she could feel the overwhelming emotion emanating from him. He was angry; his eyes were intense, and burning with rage. Ryou, who seemed just as shocked to see Yugi, grew paler.

"Yugi," Ryou said softly, "are you okay?"

That dark, fiery anger that Anzu felt from Yugi suddenly dissipated, replaced by shame. His eyes lost their edge, and he looked away, fingers tightening on the horse's reins. The girl in front of him scowled.

"Ryou. Stop changing the subject." The girl, her gold and brown hair gleaming in the light of the street torches, suddenly pointed at Anzu. "You. I still need an answer. Are you going out with Atem?"

"Mana!" Ryou exclaimed, voice rising. Anzu hadn't thought him capable.

"What?!" The girl's scowl deepened.

"You're being rude. Stop," Ryou gritted out.

Mana blinked at him. "You're right. I am being rude." She turned to Anzu. "I'm sorry. Please don't mind me." And with that, Mana promptly launched herself from the black horse, and onto Ryou.

"What are you –"

"I've missed you, Ryou," Mana said, simperingly. "Hugs!" She squeezed Ryou tight within her arms.

The pale human flushed a deep red. "Y-you're impossible, Mana."

Yugi had no eyes for Mana's antics – he was staring at Anzu, his purple eyes still intense. "It's getting late. We should go."

Ryou, with some difficulty – as Mana was clinging to him like a monkey – managed to drive the carriage in the direction of Headquarters. All along the way, his pallid skin never lost its blush, while the girl Mana chattered in his ear.

Yugi remained silent, riding the black horse a little ahead of the carriage. After Mana finished playfully cuddling Ryou – leaving the man's skin almost tomato-colored – she turned to Anzu.

"Ryou's going to be my husband," Mana said, staring at Anzu with wide, guileless eyes. Ryou didn't turn around, but Anzu could hear little choking sounds coming from him. "He's such a sweetheart. Kinda shy, and pale as a vampire, but that's how I like them – "

"Mana!" came Ryou's mortified shout.

" – But anyway, how do you like Atem? He seems pretty in to you. You are going out, aren't you? You can tell me. Yugi can't hear –"

Anzu hardly knew what to say. She didn't really understand how humans courted – and Atem's kiss still had her mystified. "Well, I'm not sure," she said, deciding on honesty.

"Ah," replied Mana knowingly. "You don't have to tell me now. We can talk later about it – after tomorrow, maybe?"

"Sure," said Anzu, not really understanding how tomorrow would make any difference in her answer. But Mana seemed pleasant enough, and there would be no harm in getting closer to as many hunters as she possibly could – no harm at all.

By the time they returned to Headquarters, it was full dark, and there was a silver quarter moon in the sky. Ryou, in stark contrast with his hair, was absolutely red – Mana had returned back to cuddling him, a pleased smile marring the girl's face.

Yugi drew his horse back up with the carriage. "Mana. Let go of Ryou, please."

"But he likes it!" Mana protested.

Anzu could see that much was true, actually – the human Ryou also had a small, if shy, smile on his face.

"You can hug him after you take this horse back to the stables," Yugi said. He dismounted, swinging a leg off the horse's flank.

"Why do I always have to take the horses back?" Mana asked petulantly.

"Because you're the one that takes them out in the first place." Yugi held the reins out in Mana's direction.

"Fine, fine." Mana reluctantly released Ryou. With an agile leap, she jumped off the carriage, and bowed in Yugi's direction. "It shall be as you command, Yugi." With that, she strode away, the black horse in tow.

"Mana's in dire need of a keeper," Ryou remarked.

"Too true. And you're the perfect man for the job, Ryou." Yugi threw the pale human a little smirk, and helped Anzu out of the carriage.

"That's not what I meant!" Ryou looked helplessly at Yugi.

"You'll survive. Just keep some chains on hand," Yugi said.

Ryou wilted. "Your brother's right. You are evil."

After saying goodbye to Ryou, Yugi led Anzu into Headquarters – but not toward her room. She could feel his anger rising again, becoming hot – and with his anger, she could sense the blood racing hard within his veins. He kept his eyes averted from her face, saying nothing as they walked deeper into Headquarters.

Finally, they came to a secluded place, a dark corridor, that was absolutely deserted. The end of the corridor opened into a courtyard that lay beneath starlight and dark sky.

Small shards of light from the moon fell into the courtyard, lighting on the trees and on the fountain at its center. Above the trees, the huge structure of Headquarters loomed, encircling the courtyard with massive walls of white and gold.

Yugi let go of Anzu's hand, and turned to level her with his storm-purple eyes. "I used to come to this place when I was younger, when I needed to be alone."

Anzu didn't reply, waiting for him to continue.

His eyes narrowed, and he clenched his teeth. "Nobody will disturb us here," he said at length. Anzu could sense his rage grow, seething in his blood.

"Why are you angry?" She returned his stare, locking her eyes with his.

"Because I allowed a vampire to live among my people," he said lowly. "And I don't know what you want. But I do know that you mean to do us harm – my brother harm. So stay away from him."

Anzu couldn't help smiling. "And if I don't?"

He took a breath, and closed his eyes. "I can't stop you. But I do have something you need."

"And what's that?"

"Blood." His eyes opened, the pupils dilated. "I know that you haven't fed."

Anzu didn't wonder at how he knew. Beneath his anger, she could sense his fear – and it was intoxicating.

"You're right," she said, slowly. "The only thing is, you believe that I need your permission...I don't. I can just take what I want."

She released her human form, and in her hunger, it fell away easily, and her wings came out, tearing from her back. Faster than thought, Anzu surged forward, her fingers taking hold of Yugi's neck, her talons digging deep.

Her momentum slammed him into the fountain, blood and water flying. He shuddered, coughing and heaving, fighting to breathe. Through the bond, she felt shivers of agony – the impact had hurt him, but he didn't cry out.

She caressed his face gently with her opposite hand, allowing her talons to slide over his skin. "Freely offering me your blood...you're such a fool."

"Take it." His voice was harsh, and his eyes hard.

Blood traced from the corner of his mouth. Anticipation rose within her at the sight, and she flung her wings back, her talons loosening from his neck.

Perhaps the hunger had forced her into a state past rationality – but instead of plunging her fangs into his throat, she lowered her head, and kissed him.

Anzu felt his shock through the bond – but he didn't recoil. The blood that had welled in his mouth was sweet, and she deepened the kiss, half-driven by her hunger, and half-driven by something, an emotion...that she couldn't name.

His hands came up, drawing her against him – and he was suddenly kissing her back, so hard and with such inexplicable passion that she could barely fathom it.


	3. The Breaking Dance

Hmm. I'm bored, so I'm updating again...

He acted as though last night had never happened. That was the best way – it was one more secret, to add to all the other secrets he had. The next morning dawned, and the sky was purple, streaked with rose and gold; he was already moving toward the lower levels of Headquarters, with only an hour of sleep.

Absently, Yugi touched his lips. He clenched his teeth, and suddenly thought of Anzu. His blood heated, burned, and there was anger, and humiliation, and...longing. The vampire had kissed him first, but he had kissed back, and there was no excuse for his actions; developing feelings for a creature that would kill him without thought, a woman that couldn't possibly understand human emotion...he was a fool. A weak fool, because he'd never felt like this...ever, in his life. Yugi half wanted to blame Anzu – she held power over him, and could have easily forced these emotions on to him; except, he doubted she would go so far. She only wanted to use him as a tool, and it was stupid to think that anyone would bother playing with a tool's emotions. Especially a vampire. He shouldn't feel like this...shouldn't feel the need to be at Anzu's side, and not only to watch her, because she was a danger to his people.

He needed to be close to her, because he wanted it. And he hated himself for it.

Things were happening too fast. Anzu, who had been an enemy a number of weeks ago, was now something...different. Yugi fought to still think of her as his enemy, but it was more than useless now – he had to admit the truth. He was falling for a vampire. He didn't know how it had happened, but he had to put a stop to it – to erase the feelings that had no place in the heart of a hunter.

So he went down to the deepest part of Headquarters – to a place that only a handful of hunters knew about. It was dark, pitch-black, and he had to keep his hand to the walls to navigate. It had been a long time since he'd come down here – but he remembered the way perfectly, even darkness.

After a while, the darkness became lighter, until he could see the small slits of lights in the wall, and everything was grey, instead of black. He kept his fingers to the wall, still. Yugi couldn't help remembering all of the times he had come down here, always afraid, always terrified. This time was different – there was no fear, just determination.

Suddenly, there was sunlight. It was weak, and pale, but there, pooling in golden sheets on the ground. Yugi didn't know how it got so far down beneath the ground, with this place imbedded so deep into the earth.

Even though the sunlight was weak, wherever it touched, patches of the walls and ground were illuminated – walls that were bronze, and etched with crimson symbols. The floor was also bronze, he knew, but covered with pale sand.

The symbols, blood-colored, hadn't been made by a human hand; they were vampire writing, older than Headquarters itself, perhaps even older than the history of the hunters. So old, it was doubtful that any human knew of their origin.

But there was one person in the Headquarters that did know. Yugi just wasn't sure if he was human.

The strongest beam of sunlight settled in the center of the sanded floor, flowing over the tan and brown robes of Shadi. The man was sitting, eyes closed, on the sand, dark hair exposed to the sun. Yugi had never seen him with his hair free; before, when ever Yugi had come down here, Shadi's hair had always been hidden by a head cloth. Yugi didn't understand why today was different – but he walked forward, feeling worry lapping at the edge of his mind.

When Yugi stood before him, Shadi opened his eyes. The man's face, with his coppery skin, was ageless, and his eyes – several, alternating shades of blue – held pupils that seemed to shift, almost disappear, within the iris.

"A long time, student," the man said.

"Yes," Yugi replied.

Shadi said nothing to his terse answer – and closed his eyes again.

"There have been problems," Shadi murmured. "Problems that have you questioning your own strength. Which is why you are here. You want me to tell you about the prophecy."

That was exactly why Yugi had come – and he wasn't surprised that Shadi knew. "Today is my brother's twenty-first birthday," Yugi said slowly, "And you told me that you would explain the prophecy to me when that time came."

Shadi sighed, his eyes sliding open. "A fine hunter you've become, because of my training. Don't you remember?"

"I remember everything." And he wished he didn't.

"But, despite that, you still don't live as you should. Think as you should." Shadi shifted slightly on the sand. "Today is your birthday, as well."

Yugi stared hard at the man. Yugi had never celebrated his own birthday; he had never wanted to, never saw the need. It had been irrelevant since he was a child, and though the entire Compound of the hunters stopped just about all activity to observe Atem's birthday, Yugi never attended. He always sent his brother gifts, but nothing in the world could compel him to go to one of Atem's parties, birthday or not. Yugi knew better now. The last time he had gone, when he and his brother were young, Yugi had regretted it, more than he'd regretted anything in his life.

No, it had always been the best thing to stay away. Even better, to never acknowledge that he himself even had a birthday at all – to keep things simple. His life was somewhat easier if he ignored his own birthday.

"I didn't come here to talk about me," Yugi said, his voice growing harsh. He'd always respected Shadi – even feared him, when he was a child, and still training under the man. But he wasn't a child anymore, and he wanted a straight answer, no evasions, because he'd waited too long for this.

Again, Shadi sighed. "You've grown impatient, my student. And I think I know why." He smiled, suddenly, his strange eyes shining. "And that would have to do with your vampire friend, I believe."

Yugi stiffened, going cold. How did he know? It was impossible –

"No," Shadi said, reading his mind. "I know everything that goes on in Headquarters."

Yugi gritted his teeth, then released a breath. "She isn't a danger. I won't allow it." Even as he spoke the words, though, he knew them to be half a lie.

Shadi waved his hand absently. "You can't control a vampire. You know that more than anyone. Or you should."

Yugi could only stare at the man, the feeling of coldness growing stronger. Shadi was right – he nearly always was.

Part of Shadi's smile faded. "It doesn't matter to me how she came to be here. I won't tell anyone about her."

Yugi was relieved. He had never seen Shadi above, in the upper levels of Headquarters – just this place. But Shadi, for all that he had trained Yugi in vampire hunting, was an enigma; Yugi knew that just because he'd never seen Shadi topside in Headquarters, didn't mean that he wasn't there. How could he know about Anzu otherwise?

"Thank you." Shadi, if anything, had always been true to his word – Anzu's secret would be kept, a while longer.

"So, the prophecy," Shadi said finally. "I did promise, but now I wish I hadn't." The man's eyes shifted, to a deep grey. "It's simple, but when I told the Council, years ago, I doubt they understood it. Just look what they did to you. No, they didn't understand, and now I'm sorry that they know."

Yugi blinked, then slowly settled on the sand in front of Shadi. What they did to him? The Council had done nothing to him that hadn't been unnecessary – at least, he told himself that, every time he looked in the mirror, every time he walked in the sun, every time he was able to eat without pain.

"They did what they had to do." Even his own mother had done what was necessary. Yugi couldn't blame her, but some times, he wished he could.

"You say that now, despite everything you've gone through. But I will tell you this – the Council's misunderstanding, their ignorance, has hurt you. I would rather you didn't know the prophecy yourself, either."

"I won't misunderstand, if that's what you're worried about."

Shadi's eyes narrowed, but wearily. "No, you will misunderstand. But that's not what I'm worried over..."

The man drew a breath, then spoke – his voice was deeper, drawn, and it echoed lowly off of the walls. "_There will be one, destined to end the long War. This one will be of two bloods, but will be the champion of mortals – marked by power unparalleled by any hunter born. When the end comes, he will lead humanity into the air, above clouds and sea, to destroy the last vampire king."_

Yugi's hands clenched, spasming deep within the sand. He'd waited so long – nearly all of his life – to hear this prophecy, and yet it told him nothing that he didn't already know. Atem was the one of whom the prophecy spoke, the hunter unparalleled by any other, with the ultimate destiny to save humanity from the iron might of the vampires. All of this time, and the prophecy was...useless. Yugi needed more information, and he needed it soon, before the end of tonight...

He rose to his feet, fingers still clenching sand, frustration burning deep. Shadi's gaze, which had gone distant as he'd spoken the prophecy, suddenly focused on Yugi.

"I knew you would misunderstand," Shadi said, his voice a sad whisper. "I'm sorry to disappoint, student. Forgive me."

"There's nothing to forgive." How could there be? Even if the prophecy held nothing Yugi could use, no fault lay on Shadi. But Yugi couldn't force down the anger, the despair, that he hadn't learned anything that would help – he was still at square one.

And tonight, Atem would have his official coronation, and everything would change – for the worse. His brother's twenty first birthday marked the point where the hunters would no longer be satisfied with a passive war; tomorrow, with Atem leading, the hunters would enter the vampire realm, and fulfill the prophecy.

Atem would kill Pegasus, because that was his destiny.

And it was Yugi's duty to make sure that Atem, and the entire city of Domino, didn't come to harm, before that happened. But right now, he was failing in that duty.

"You take to much on yourself, my student." As Yugi left, pacing back across the sand, Shadi's voice reverberated, filled with...concern? No, it couldn't be. "So heed me, as the one who trained you. Tonight, you should go to your brother's coronation. Go, and don't be ashamed that you share Atem's face."

Yugi turned sharply, his neck snapping back to Shadi. But the man was gone, and where he had been, there was only sunlight.

* * *

It was evening when the fireworks started, the first blooming over Headquarters. The sky wasn't even fully dark yet, and there was still a line of reddish light in the horizon. Yugi shook his head. It seemed like no one could wait to get the party started, and this one would be grandiose, over-the-top, and probably all around insane. Behind him, Mana took in an excited breath, then grabbed at his wrist.

"Isn't it beautiful, Yugi? How could you say no to that?"

He fought a sigh. "Easy: no."

How Mana had managed to run into him, after he had emerged from beneath Headquarters, had been beyond him – but when she'd found him, she'd clung, and had yet to let go. Yugi didn't know where Mana had gotten the notion that she could convince him to attend Atem's coronation, but she'd been worrying him, nagging him over and over all day. It would have been annoying, but Yugi was used to Mana – annoying was her nature. For the most part, he had been able to keep her half distracted from the subject, with a walk across the gardens of Headquarters. The gardens were so vast that Yugi doubted even Mana, with her reckless curiousness, had seen all of it.

Of course, he had to sweeten the deal – the walk was on horseback. Gaia, a dark stallion that, if Yugi was honest with himself, neither one of them had any business riding, bore both of them easily. The horse belonged to Atem, trained side by side with his brother. It was a wonder that the stallion even allowed Yugi to touch him – and yet, the animal was strangely amiable to him. Still, Yugi probably shouldn't have let Mana convince him to take Gaia out – even if it had shut her up.

Well, at least for the first five minutes. Then, in typical Mana fashion, her mouth had started going again.

"So stubborn," Mana said, and Yugi doubted that she realized the irony. "But you know what? I'm done asking you nicely. So it's time for blackmail."

Yugi cast an eye backward – Mana stared at him innocently. She was several years younger than he was, but Yugi knew she possessed a dangerously devious mind. He pulled the reins, forcing Gaia to an abrupt stop. The stallion tossed his head, hooves scraping the ground with irritation. Behind him, Mana had to tighten her arms around his waist, to keep from falling out of the saddle.

The girl released an exasperated breath. "It's your birthday! I'm tired of you always skipping out – disappearing, when you should be celebrating with Atem. So here's the deal," she said, poking a stiff finger into his back. "We're crashing the party. Since you haven't been to not one of your own birthday parties in ten years – yes, I counted – you're taking the spotlight. It's going to be your day, not Atem's."

It seemed Mana had conveniently forgotten that tonight was his brother's coronation – possibly the most important celebration Headquarters would witness. But it didn't really matter what Mana wanted; he loved her, he really did, but sometimes she was a little bit...

"No, I'm not crazy." The second person today to read Yugi's mind. He suppressed another sigh. "And do you know why you're going? One thing."

"And that is?" Yugi asked.

Mana laughed lowly. "Anzu."

"I don't think so," he replied, even as his mind flew to the vampire. He had buried all thought of Anzu, just so he could cope through the day – and that had been...so incredibly stupid of him.

"Well, she's going," Mana said. "And she's going to be on Atem's arm. And don't ask me how I know."

"I don't care – "

Yugi heard her growl. "You should, because if you don't go, I'm going to make sure he steals her from you! I'll do everything in my power to persuade him to go out with her – even though I know you have a thing for her. Just go to the stupid party, Yugi! You don't want to make me have to do this..."

Her words stopped him. Really, he should have just denied that he had any feelings for Anzu – just told the girl that Atem could do what he wanted, and if he wanted Anzu, then...it didn't matter, one way or another. If Anzu had been human, he would have said just that.

But Anzu wasn't human, and Yugi still didn't know her agenda. But he couldn't take the risk of Anzu getting close to Atem. Worse, he knew that it wouldn't take much convincing, from Mana or anyone else, for Atem to make the first move with Anzu.

And that was the last thing Yugi wanted to happen – for Atem, the hope of the hunters, to be destroyed by the vampire Yugi had willingly allowed into their midst.

He didn't have a choice, then. Even after Shadi's parting advice, and Mana's constant, day long nagging, Yugi had already made the decision that he wouldn't go to his brother's coronation. But now, considering Anzu, he knew he couldn't stay away – if he did, he'd only jeopardize Atem.

Slowly, Yugi urged Gaia into a canter. The stallion moved easily through the garden's vegetation, through vines, over blossoms, and under ferns, his pale mane, and strange, dark indigo hide gleaming. Yugi needed to return Atem's horse back to the stables, anyway.

"Fine," Yugi said softly. "You'll get what you want, Mana."

* * *

Kaiba watched his brother Mokuba make small talk with that woman...Anzu. His brother seemed animated, and, if he'd been a little older, Kaiba would have said that the boy was enraptured by her. But Kaiba dismissed the thought; at fifteen, Mokuba was still deep in his hunter training, and was incredibly focused – even more focused than Kaiba had been. So the idea that Mokuba could have already formed a crush was near impossible, to Kaiba's line of thinking.

It wasn't important, one way or another. Kaiba took an idle sip of his drink – some clear liquor that was almost too sweet for him – and moved on, leaving Mokuba to his own devices. If he'd had his way, Kaiba wouldn't even be here; parties weren't his thing, and he despised Atem enough that attending the man's coronation had bile rising in his throat. He took another sip of his drink, his eyes roving over the mass of people – hunters mostly, dressed finely for the occasion.

But some, like that woman Anzu, were merely civilians – albeit, wealthy civilians, to be invited here, to the hunter leader's twenty first birthday. There were tables filled with elaborate, expensive gifts, from both hunters and civilians alike. Kaiba clenched his teeth at the sight, and continued moving through the party, taking store of the people, and watching them with discerning eyes.

"You seemed bored, Kaiba."

It was the Mutt's sister, Shizuka. The healer wore a pale cream dress, and modest jewelry, looking at once striking and demure. She moved with the silent ease of a hunter, quiet enough that Kaiba hadn't even noticed her. He frowned, meeting her curious eyes.

"What would that matter to you? I have business to look after."

Shizuka inclined her head. "Seems to me that you're just sulking around, while your brother is having fun."

She turned her gaze away, to look in the direction of Mokuba. Kaiba followed her gaze, and saw his brother out on the dance floor – dancing with Anzu, looking like a smitten puppy!

Kaiba felt his frown deepen. "Mokuba can do what he wants." Kaiba turned, fully prepared to ignore the scene.

"So can you," Shizuka said, laying a hand on Kaiba's arm. "You should learn to have some fun, too, Kaiba. So you can stop being a jerk."

Kaiba sneered at her. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were trying to hit on me, healer."

"Good job," she replied cheerfully. "There might be hope for you yet, I think." Suddenly, she was steering him toward the dance floor, with all the grace of a panther leading an antelope to the kill.

"I don't have time for this – " Kaiba began.

"Scared?" the healer asked, her voice soft.

He glared at her, and she smiled gently. She was just as irritating as her Mutt brother, if more clever. Swiftly, Kaiba took her wrist, ready to put her in her place.

The dance floor was smooth, and, despite the crowd of people, there was more than enough space to move beneath the low, turquoise lighting.

"I'm impressed," Shizuka murmured, as they entered the first, complicated movements of the dance. "Who taught you to dance? Your dragons?"

It was true, that Kaiba spent more time with his dragons than he did with nearly anyone else, excluding his brother. Kaiba smirked. "If you think so."

"Then your dragons are very talented." The heel of her foot suddenly stepped parallel with his, and she was close enough to whisper in his ear. "Kaiba. I think I saw Ryou's twin. I told my brother, but he's disappeared."

Kaiba didn't stop to ask if she was sure – nor even wonder why she trusted him enough to give him this information. Thankfully, the dance ended, and Kaiba was able to slide away, thrusting himself from Shizuka and off of the dance floor.

He needed his stakes.

* * *

The human boy – his name was Mokuba – had been a good dance partner, and surprisingly friendly, especially considering that Kaiba was his brother. Anzu, who loved dancing – even in her human form – hadn't been able to turn Mokuba down, when he'd invited her to the dance floor. When the dance ended, Mokuba, his grey eyes sparkling, bowed, his skin flushed and his breathing hard.

"That," he said, "was the most fun I've had in...ever. Another dance?"

The music was rising again, and the dance floor's turquoise lighting deepened, into dark violet. Anzu was about to take him up on his offer, but out of the corner of her eye, she saw movement.

A hand suddenly found her wrist. "Anzu! I've been looking all over for you."

It was Mana, and her fingers pressed urgently over Anzu's arm. Mokuba glared at the girl. "Do you mind?" he demanded.

"I do. Obviously." Mana turned to Anzu. "Can I talk to you for a moment?"

Anzu nodded, and Mana led her from the dance floor. The girl seemed excited, her face positively glowing; when Mana drew her beneath an ice sculpture – shaped as some sort of bird, long necked and with elaborately carved wings – Anzu could feel the slight tightening of the grip on her wrist.

"So," Mana said slowly, looking at Anzu with bright eyes, "Atem. Yugi. Which one?"

Anzu remained silent, unsure of what Mana was asking. Mana blinked, then frowned. "Sorry. Guess that was a little vague," she took a breath. "But I have to know. Who are you going to pick?"

"I don't know." And that was the truth. Anzu didn't quite know what this human girl was thinking, but she supposed it wouldn't hurt to humor her, at least as far as she could. "If you had a choice, who would you go for?"

Mana seemed taken aback. "Me? I...well, um..." The girl's eyes suddenly went distant. "I guess I don't know, either."

Anzu saw her chance, and took it. "What are they like?"

Mana blinked again, then smiled. "Well...Atem is intense. Ever since we were little, he was outgoing, and when we started training, he was the strongest novice, hands down. His teachers and the Council adored him. It seemed like there was nothing that he couldn't do, no challenge that he would turn down. Not even when I bet him that he couldn't steal the Millennium Items, from beneath the Council's nose."

"The Millennium Items?" Anzu asked.

"Oh. I forgot that you're not from Domino. The short of it: the Millennium Items have been in the keeping of the Council for generations. We hunters have used them to keep the city protected from vampires for ages." Mana sighed in reminiscence. "And Atem managed to get all seven, without the Council even noticing. I had to do all of his chores for a year. But that's the sort of person he is. Although..."

Mana looked suddenly hesitant. Anzu murmured, "You can tell me."

"Well, Atem goes through a lot of women. Pretty fast." Mana shrugged. "But he _is _our leader. And I've never met another hunter that could best him." The girl suddenly smirked. "Not to mention that he's one fine piece of – "

Anzu stared at her. Mana coughed a little, then sheepishly rubbed a hand against her hair. "I mean...well, he's not bad to look at." Mana looked suddenly thoughtful. "And I guess Yugi isn't too bad either. It's actually kind of strange, but even though they're identical, Yugi's just...Yugi. I've never really looked at him like I would look at Atem. They're so completely different..." Mana released a breath. "Yugi is the total opposite of Atem. He's quiet, and calm, and level-headed. It took me forever to get close to him – but he's a good person."

Anzu noted that Mana seemed reserved in her description of Yugi. Anzu didn't know what that meant – but at least she had more information on Atem. And the Millennium Items...Anzu had never heard of them before, but they sounded interesting. More than interesting, actually – they sounded like objects of immense power, and would bear more investigation on her part...

"I see," Anzu said softly.

Mana looked at her with expectant eyes. "You don't have to tell me, of course. But you'll probably be deciding tonight. Right now, in fact."

Anzu was struck with a moment of confusion. Then Mana abruptly turned away, her mischievous eyes focused at something above the dance floor. There, at the top of broad, spiraling stairs, was Atem. The light was low, but Anzu could see him clearly – and, as he descended the stairs, his eyes found hers.

At his throat, there were dark bands of gold, and his collar bones and chest were adorned with a flaring, golden falcon. The armlets twining above his elbows shone, curling elaborately over his skin, and at his shoulders, a darkly crimson cloak flared, rising and falling behind him as if stirred by wind.

He looked like some ancient prince, to Anzu's eyes, and he should have been out of place here, with all of that gold – but he wasn't. Instead, he was suddenly moving through the masses of hunters, after stepping gracefully from the stairs, and she knew that it was _he _that really belonged. His eyes remained fixated on hers.

Anzu met him on the dance floor – taking no notice of Mana's smug, triumphant look. All of the people dancing suddenly stepped to the side, out of his way, leaving only them to the dance floor; but the music surged, into a low, melodic thrum, and the violet lights deepened into amethyst.

Something was off, though. Instinctively, she lifted her hand, and their fingers met, his closing gently over hers. The gold at his throat gleamed, and beneath the golden falcon collar, the rest of his chest was bare, the bronzed skin exposed.

It was his eyes that gave him away. As they began to dance, his fingers still interlocked with hers, and his opposite hand resting on her waist, she suddenly knew.

The amethyst lighting gave his eyes that familiar intensity – and Anzu remembered those same eyes glaring at her in defiance, demanding that she take his blood, before they'd kissed.

This wasn't Atem. It was Yugi.


	4. Vampire Dawn

So, another update. This chapter is rather rough, but I don't really have the heart to fix it any more than I already have. On a random note: all of the characters -- the ones with names, anyway -- are canon, and have appeared in the manga or anime at some time or another. There is one, whose name I'm actually not quite sure of; she's a relatively minor character in canon, and I've heard her name pronounced differently in the English version of the anime than the way I've seen it spelled. So I've settled on a certain spelling of it, and I'm not going to change it -- I am, unfortunately, too much of a lazy bum to worry over it any longer. So forgive and forget mistakes, my friends, and I hope this finds you well.

* * *

His knife arm ached. Sliding between all of these hunters, all of these familiar faces, made his fingers itch for the blade; but he held back, if barely. It was time to move into the shadows, and wait for the signal.

Infiltration had been easy – so easy, it was pathetic. The city of Domino was in an uproar, and at its center, the Headquarters of the hunters had been even worse – people, humans, so joyous and excited, so ready to see Atem's coronation, that they had let their guard down, and thrown themselves whole heartedly into celebration.

Placing himself right in the midst of the hunters – who had once, long ago, been his own people – brought back old memories. Headquarters was just how he remembered it, so immense and beautiful, its walls and columns gleaming even in the deep night. The people hadn't changed either – complacent, easy-going, soft. This place was weak and vulnerable. Idly, he slide the knife from beneath his sleeve, and twirled it once in anticipation. They would all suffer – every last person at Headquarters.

Starting with Atem.

His employer had agreed to let him take revenge – but she had warned him to develop some patience, to hold himself from bloodshed, until the time came. When it did, he would have free rein to do whatever he wanted, kill whoever he wanted. He didn't like working under anyone, but his employer was generous – she had enhanced his abilities a thousand times over, and offered him this chance to wreak chaos amongst the hunters that had betrayed him.

In the shadows, Bakura shifted again, changing his features. He willed his hair to be more gold than white, his eyes less sharp, his face far less angular. It was a subtle shift, but he had been altering his appearance all night. Now, after working for his employer for years, the talent was far more refined than it had been in his youth – he could remain hidden, and do a bit of surveillance, until the signal came.

Earlier, he had been careless, though. The girl that he remembered as being the sister of that idiot Jonouchi, had caught a glimpse of him, and seemed to suspect. He'd thought of leading her to some quiet place, and slitting her throat, but that idea had too much risk – her absence would have caused problems, and if someone had just happened upon her body, before the signal...

A hard decision. But his employer was not to be trifled with, and would be far from pleased if Bakura disobeyed orders. So he had let the girl go, though reluctantly.

She would get hers, when the time came.

It was growing late, and now he was tired of watching the hunters dance; one level up, above this one, the Council would be holding the official ceremony of the coronation. This was only the initial celebration before Atem would be officially crowned the destined leader of the hunters. Bakura supposed that this was the best time to get into position – that, and the music here was irritating beyond anything he could tolerate. Too sedate, too gentle – Bakura preferred screams.

He made his way to the next floor, toward the stairs that would lead above the dancing hunters, and to the level the Council occupied. No one took notice of him – and he felt secure in the knowledge that he would remain hidden, unseen.

Except, when he made to climb the stairs, the music suddenly died. His attention snapped to the dance floor, and he saw the one person he hated more than anyone.

Atem. On the dance floor, the man stood next to some dark haired woman, with blue eyes and a face too beautiful to be human. Atem had his fingers interlaced with the woman's, and they both looked caught in some unending dance, still seeming to move, even though the music had ceased. Bakura sneered.

Happiness was such a frail thing. Bakura would enjoy destroying all of the joy Atem had accumulated over the years. Yes, and it would be beautiful, so beautiful…

Smirking, Bakura climbed the stairs, to the Council.

* * *

The dance ended, the music falling into a lulling halt. Anzu crossed her ankle with Yugi's, and their hands, still intertwined, lowered, their eyes meeting.

He drew her close, pressing his cheek against hers, and said lowly in her ear, "I'm not Atem. But you already know that."

"Yes," she said, "But that doesn't matter right now, does it?" She released a breath, strangely content. This man, a mere mortal, was supposed to be her tool; a person that she could use, and then throw away, when her ambitions were fulfilled. She felt no different now – once she got what she wanted, she would no longer need Yugi. But at the moment...she had never been this close to anyone like this, so close she could feel his heartbeat. It felt good, even if he was only human...

When Yugi suddenly pulled away, that good feeling faded. His eyes rose, to gaze at something beyond her shoulder. "Looks like the game is up."

Anzu turned, and saw the real Atem, walking toward the dance floor. He was adorned in the same way Yugi was – glittering gold, at his throat, on his arms, the same flowing cloak, deeply golden pants, chest bare.

Atem was smiling, but his gaze was hard. "Are you enjoying yourself Yugi?"

Yugi stared solemnly at his brother. "I was just leaving." He turned, his fingers falling away from Anzu's, and left the dance floor.

She watched him go, disappearing into the crowd of hunters, seeming to vanish from sight with an uncanny swiftness.

"That was unexpected," Atem murmured. "I never thought I'd see the day when Yugi would actually come to a party – let alone my coronation." He glanced at her, his eyes measuring. "But I think I understand why he chose today."

Slowly, Atem offered her his arm. Just as slowly, she took it – and he led her to the stairs, the rest of the hunters following.

He cast a quick, wry glance at her. "Are you ready?"

Anzu didn't know what to expect, but she nodded anyway. "I am."

* * *

Mana breathed hard when she saw Atem and Anzu. Disappointment welled inside of her – where was Yugi? Had Mana's plan gone wrong...already?

The Ceremonial chamber was filled to the brim, with hunters and even influential civilians, waiting to see the moment when the Council would crown their leader. The Council themselves – there were seven, as always – stood in the center of the chamber, on an elaborate dais, each member in a different colored robe. There, Mana could see Atem and Yugi's mother, in robes of bronze; the woman's eyes were cold, and Mana shivered. Shouldn't she be proud of Atem? Mana would be, in her place...

Absently, Mana shifted the blanket she was huddled in, so she could get warmer. She had the best seat in the house, on a little ledge high above the chamber's floor, and close to the ceiling. No one could see her up here, since it was hidden by falls of long, silk curtains. But Mana could watch everything going on well enough, and it was way better than being ground-level – where she would have had to fight the massive crowds of people, just to get a glimpse of anything. But it was cold up here, and even the blanket that she had brought up with her didn't help much. She was freezing.

It was worth it, though – especially when she saw Atem clearly, striding toward the dais. Light made the burnished gold he wore gleam, and threw shadows over his skin; and at his side, Anzu, in that gorgeous blue dress, walked gracefully, her hand on his arm.

Mana sniffed thoughtfully. She really had believed that Anzu, despite everything, would choose Yugi – which was why Mana had spent the time convincing Yugi to come to the coronation, and had even managed to get him to pull that little...trick, earlier. Mana didn't believe that even Anzu had known that it was Yugi who'd met her on the dance floor – not at first. But being twins had to count for something, right? And Mana, despite the fact that she was the one who had organized the deception, had been half-fooled herself – if he really wanted to, Yugi could pass himself off as Atem, so easily...

"What are you thinking about?"

Mana jumped so violently she almost fell off of the ledge – but Yugi's steady hand caught her by her upper arm, and drew her back to safety. Mana gasped with relief, then growled angrily.

"What are you doing, scaring me like that?" she hissed. "I could have killed myself – "

Yugi smirked. "Unlikely. There's enough people down there that they would have broken your fall. Although..." His smirk became a full smile. "I shouldn't have been able to sneak up on you. Atem's coronation can't be so interesting that you've forgotten all of your training, already."

Mana blushed at his words – and blushed even more, as she turned to look at him. He was still wearing the gold, the falcon collar flaring on his otherwise exposed chest. Even this close, if Mana hadn't known better, she would have mistaken him for Atem – the light up here was dim, and so his skin, far paler than Atem's, was shadowed.

"Ryou is the only man for me," Mana said stupidly. Yugi looked at her in confusion. "Um, I mean..."

He laughed lowly. "Of course he is. Especially if he has chains."

Mana glared at him. "Evil."

"Can't help it," he said. Then he sighed. "Mana, I know you meant well, but this..." He pressed a hand to the gold on his chest. "..it doesn't look right on me." He slowly began removing the falcon from his chest.

Mana huffed. "It looks perfectly fine, Yugi. So why aren't you down there? Even if Anzu chose Atem over you, he's still your brother – he's expecting you to be there."

Yugi's eyes fell on her. " I don't think so," he said softly. He tore the falcon away from his chest.

Mana swallowed, and turned her gaze away. "Well, fine then. Be that way. But tomorrow, Atem is going into the vampire realm. Shouldn't you at least support him?"

"I do support him," Yugi replied, an edge to his voice. "More than you can ever know."

"You don't act like it," Mana said tartly. She looked at him from the corner of her eye. Against her will, she blushed again. Why did he take the falcon off? For the first time in her life, Mana realized that Yugi, for all that he was completely different from Atem, was eye candy too. It didn't make any sense. Why hadn't she noticed before? They'd been best friends for years...and yet, she'd never seen him like this. "She would have chosen you, you know. But you're so boring..."

"Am I?" he asked quietly.

"Yes!" she exclaimed, finally looking him full in the face. "You're always away on missions, and when you're not, you're training! What sort of life is that? I mean, you _are _Atem's twin. Why can't you be..."

"...More like him?"

Mana stopped. She wasn't being fair, was she? But Yugi was smiling, and didn't seem to be the least bit affected by her words. His smile suddenly made her realize that she was being to over bearing – a jerk.

Yugi turned his attention to the ledge, still smiling. But Mana had known him long enough to know that she had unsettled him – and she wilted at the thought. Mana had only tried to help – Yugi was close to only a few people, and he deserved so much more, so many more friends in his life. But the man was so difficult...!

Sighing inwardly, Mana peered down the ledge with him. Atem was now standing before the Council, on one knee, his head bowed. His mother, her bronze robes gleaming, paced forward, and raised her voice – it echoed in the Ceremonial chamber, and the masses of people fell into silence.

"This night is our turning point. No longer shall we allow vampires to rule over the rest of the world – no more shall we allow them to enslave human kind. Tomorrow we will go forth, and finish the duty our ancestors suffered so long to bestow upon us. With you, Atem, the long night will end."

Her bronze robes shifted, as she lowered herself, and slid a band of gold over Atem's forehead. Atem stood solemnly, his eyes glittering.

"God willing, nothing will stop us – nothing will stop me." Atem's voice rung with certainty and steel.

In that moment, Mana had no doubt that nothing would stop Atem from achieving the destiny of the hunters.

"So it begins," Yugi whispered.

* * *

Bakura was done waiting. After forcing himself to lay low, watching the coronation with more patience than he thought he was capable of, he was finished; hiding this way no longer appealed to him, and now he couldn't care less what punishment he received for disregarding orders.

He started to move, brushing into the crowd, slowly sliding his knife into his hand. No one noticed the motion, but that was due to careful planning on his part – he had changed his features further, until his face was innocent and soft looking, his eyes young and docile...a person that seemed trustworthy, but more importantly, unnoticeable.

There was movement, suddenly, out of the corner of his eye. A hand fell over his wrist, gripping it with surprising strength.

Bakura snarled, turning, ready to slice off that interfering hand – and then he stopped, hardly able to believe what he was seeing.

It was his employer. She smiled gently at him, and with her opposite hand, caressed the length of his face.

"So impatient," she said, her voice as gentle as her smile. "Perhaps my gift was wasted on you. I should have chosen another."

Bakura couldn't help his confusion. "What – why are you here?"

His employer shook her head, giving his face one last stroke of her fingers. "To make sure my pet doesn't start killing before it's time."

Her eyes were a solemn violet, the lashes long and as golden as her hair, and the satin dress she wore was so dark a crimson it looked like blood against her skin. She was beautiful, almost unnaturally so, but Bakura could tell that she'd gone through great lengths to hide her true beauty – a beauty that far surpassed any mortal woman's.

Bakura couldn't lie – his employer had known what he'd meant to do, and it would be stupid to say otherwise. Cynthia, the vampire queen, could detect deception in a heartbeat.

"Forgive me." He meant the words, even if they were difficult for him to say. But Cynthia was not to be trifled with – she had her own agenda, and Bakura wasn't foolish enough to believe that she wouldn't kill him if he disrupted that agenda...kill him slowly, very slowly.

"My love," she whispered, and Bakura shivered, knowing that, in her strange way, she did love him. "You don't have to ask my forgiveness. I know the pain you suffered, and I know how long you've waited. Soon your revenge will be at hand. But I want them." She released a sighing breath, her head falling against his chest. "The Millennium Items. They belong to me. Make sure you don't fail, Bakura. You should go now – you have a minute before the signal. Don't waste it."

He bowed his head slightly, and then slid out of her embrace, and further into the masses of hunters. Bakura was entirely capable of doing what he needed in a minute, but he still had to be quick.

Originally, he had thought to have one of the Council members as his first target...but with only a minute, he decided against that decision. There was a better, easier target, anyway...

Seconds passed, and he slipped close to his new target, near enough that he stood at her back, looking at the fall of her dark brown hair. Again, he shifted his face, until it was one of complete innocence and guilelessness. It was the perfect moment, for his target was a few feet away from Atem – who was staring in Bakura's general direction, but his eyes had yet to register Bakura as a threat.

Fast as thought, he grasped her hair, violently pulling her head back, and ripped her throat with the edge of his knife.

He saw Atem's eyes widen, heard the rise of numerous screams – and then there was a roaring sound, like thunder magnified a hundred times over, and the entire place shook, Headquarters trembling, collapsing...

That was the signal. The complete destruction of Headquarters, of the entire city of Domino, was beginning.

Bakura relished it, even as he dragged the body of Atem's woman with him, slipping away as the Ceremonial chamber quaked, and sheets of smoldering flame rose, engulfing everything.

Now, for the Millennium Items...

* * *

They were under attack, and he had never seen it coming – but he should have. Now he was unprepared, without his sword or armor, and his brother was no where to be seen. And Anzu...

He wasn't sure if she was in danger, despite having her throat cut open. She was a vampire, after all, and she could take care of herself, until Yugi could figure out what was going on. Teeth clenched, he turned, and nudged Mana, forcing her out of her shocked daze. She blinked, and stared at him, her eyes suddenly wild.

"What's going on? The vampires are attacking us, aren't they? What are we going to do, Yugi?"

"Get out of here, first." The Ceremonial chamber was on fire, and he needed to make sure that everyone here – especially the civilians – got to safety. "Come on."

The curtains falling from the ledge were silk, and, while difficult to scale, were easy enough to slide down, and the fastest way to the floor. Mana leapt first, grabbing hold of the curtains' slick fabric, and slid down their length rapidly. Yugi followed, just as fast, feeling naked without his sword.

The chamber was in chaos – people were running, tripping over themselves to escape, and the hunters, caught flat-footed, made little attempt to make order. Red-orange flame, climbing up the chamber's walls and pillars, bathed everything in searing, blinding light.

"Mana," Yugi breathed, as soon as his feet touched the floor. She nodded, knowing instinctively what he wanted.

Drawing a deep breath, Mana yelled, and her voice – magnified with power – echoed, loud enough that everyone stopped in their tracks. "Listen! We must evacuate Headquarters– that means everyone calm down! I know the place is on fire, but we need to make sure everyone gets out safely – so hunters, lead everyone out! You know what to do."

Despite everything that was happening, Yugi smiled – Mana was a quirky little hunter, and the ability to magnify her voice was one of her talents. It was a strange skill for a hunter to have, but it got the job done; the hunters immediately gathered up the civilians, guiding them out of the chamber, and through shuddering Headquarters.

Yugi knew the importance of staying close – but he lingered, watching the hunters usher the civilians out of the flaming Ceremonial chamber. Something felt wrong, and beside him, Mana hesitated.

"Yugi," she said, her voice filled with urgency. "We have to go."

The feeling wouldn't leave, and the flames were growing more intense. "Mana. Make sure you get everybody that you can to the sanctuary. I'll catch up as soon as I can." Mana looked like she wanted to argue, but he gave her a hard glance. "Please go."

She went, reluctantly, and he moved, in the direction of that bad feeling. In the center of the chamber, a gigantic hunk of pillar had fallen, and beneath it...

When he came up upon it, he saw bronze robes, stained with blood. His mother, eyes dark and hair spayed over a pool of blood, was half buried beneath the pillar.

He assessed the situation as emotionlessly as he could; the pillar was of dense stone, and far too heavy for one person to even think of lifting. And he could see, with a cursory look, that his mother was crushed from the waist down.

She needed a healer, an extraordinary one – and he doubted that even if there was such a healer around, there was still no way to save his mother's legs. Really, there was no way to save his mother without help, and there was no time, absolutely no time at all, until the entire chamber was awash in fire...

She saw him, and, as always, her eyes grew cold. "Why are you still here, you little fool? The city's being attacked, and you're standing there just as useless as you've always been."

He wanted to say that he would save her – but that was a waste of breath. He could see, and she could see, that it was hopeless. But he drew closer, unable to find the strength to leave.

His mother moaned, agony written upon her face. "You're too stupid to know your own duty, aren't you? At least Atem knows what needs to be done. The Millennium Items must be protected at all cost. The vampires can't have them, they...can't..." Her voice trailed off, weakly.

"Atem wouldn't have gone, if he had known what's happened to you." And his brother would never forgive him, if he allowed their mother to die here.

"Atem is doing what a proper hunter is supposed to do – he's fighting the vampires, because he knows what's at stake. He's fighting _her_, that accursed woman...Cynthia. Pegasus' filthy wife."

If that was true, and Atem had gone off to confront a vampire of Cynthia's caliber...then Yugi really did have no choice. There was only one way, if he wanted to save everyone. The thought left him stricken, and he started to tremble, with sudden anger, and despair. Anger, that Atem had raced off to kill the vampire queen without even thinking that his own people needed him. The feeling of despair was just as strong, though – if he made this decision, then his own life would be over. His friends, his people, would turn against him...

But there was nothing else he could think of – he was still bound to protect the remaining people of Domino, to watch Atem's back, and he couldn't do it as he was, weaponless...and human. Nor would he let his mother die – not here, not now.

"Take off the seal." As soon as he said the words, he regretted them. He would always regret them, he knew, and regret everything that came after this...

His mother's eyes were hard. "You're weak. So weak..."

"I know," he whispered.

* * *

Atem wrenched his sword back, and twisted away. The monster that stood in his path wasn't a vampire, but that made it all the worse – the creature had been human once, a person he'd grown up with.

Bakura, Ryou's twin, made a better demon than he did a hunter. And that was a nightmare of a realization, since Bakura had been a strong hunter, nearly on par with Kaiba. When they'd trained together as novices, Ryou's twin had been quick and deadly with his strikes, preferring to fight with a long knife, fast as a cobra – but Atem had always been able to beat him with ease. In those days, it had been easy enough to see that those defeats sowed resentment in Bakura – a hatred that was deeper than the distaste Kaiba had for him, far, far deeper. But Atem had never cared, since he had never liked Bakura anyway – the man was so different from his soft spoken brother, nefarious and malicious. At least Kaiba he could stand – Kaiba was mean, and merciless, but Bakura...Bakura was sadistic, and cruel beyond measure.

When the Council had cast Bakura out – for reportedly turning on his own squad during a hunt, and killing them all in cold blood – Atem had been relieved, and so had every other hunter at Headquarters. The man had vowed revenge, cursing the Council, Atem, and Ryou to the deepest hell, before disappearing from Domino. Then, Atem had thought nothing of Bakura's threat of vengeance.

He did now, though. One of Bakura's talents had been the ability to transform his face, to shift his features subtly. Years ago, before Bakura had been banished, he'd rarely used the skill – it was a weak talent anyway, and mostly useless for hunting. But it was a different story, now.

Atem drew back, giving ground. Bakura advanced, a smiling sneer marring his face. His eyes gave away the fact that he was no longer an ordinary human – one eye was normal, dark brown and gleaming with malevolence. But the other one was a vampire's eye, the white completely black, dark as pitch, with an iris that was pale yellow.

It was obvious what Bakura had done – he had given himself to a vampire in exchange for power. Atem knew that vampires had technology beyond anything that humans possessed – had Bakura asked to be genetically altered, or was this change a product of the vampires' dark magic? In the long run, while Bakura was still a mortal, that eye granted him some of the strength of a true vampire, on top of his already formidable hunter skills.

Atem swung his sword, but Bakura caught the blade easily on his knife, with impossible speed. Atem swung again, faster, toward his opponent's torso, but Bakura merely laughed, and parried – their blades rang, sparks flying.

"So slow," Bakura hissed, voice mocking. "No wonder your woman ended up dead."

Gritting his teeth, Atem's eyes flew to Anzu's body. Bakura laughed, and flicked the tip of his knife up, aiming to stab Atem in the chest for his inattention. Atem moved, just barely evading the knife blade.

"Time to die," Bakura said, his face shifting. It elongated, the man's pale face rapidly pushing forward into a muzzle, and then...

Atem backed away again, turning his sword in grim anticipation. Bakura's shape shifting abilities no longer applied to just his face, but his entire body – and the creature that was advancing upon him, a demon that was wolf-like but too gigantic to be compared to a real wolf, padding forward on claws like small scythes, revealed fangs in a malicious grin reminiscent of Bakura's human form. Atem started counting his options.

The bridge they were fighting on didn't allow for much maneuvering room – at least, not for a sword. Atem, upon finding Bakura on the bridge, had known he would be handicapped in a fight; there wasn't enough space to swing his sword into a full arc, but Bakura, with his knife, and no such disadvantage. But Atem, seeing that Bakura had intended to cross the bridge, knew he had no choice but to enter a fight with the traitor – the bridge led from Headquarters to the place where the Millennium Items were kept, and there was no way Atem would allow Bakura near them.

But Bakura, in this form, had an even larger advantage now – and Atem was losing time. Bakura, in the long run, was just a diversion – Bakura was working for someone, a vampire, who undoubtedly wanted the Millennium Items, and would get to them while they fought. Which meant that Atem had to defeat Bakura, and defeat him quick.

His opponent moved, leaping forward, claws scraping the bridge floor with a sound like screeching metal. Atem tensed, then surged forward, lashing out vertically with his sword blade – catching Bakura shallowly in the jaw. The monster released an agitated roar, blood flying from the resulting wound; but, faster than thought, Bakura caught Atem on the shoulder, claws ripping skin and muscle, the blow throwing Atem completely off his feet. Atem recovered as best he could, trying to find his feet before Bakura could make another attack, but the monster was already swinging his head, and jaws closed on Atem's other shoulder. Fangs tore deep, down to the bone, but through the sudden pain, Atem twisted his sword, forcing the blade into a downward slash.

Atem felt the monster shudder, as the sword metal bit deep into the side of his neck – and Bakura released his shoulder, with a rumbling scream. For a moment, Atem was in the clear, and he struggled to press his advantage – but in a blur, claws extended forward, and trapped Atem against the side of the bridge.

Those claws contracted, and ribbons of Atem's blood flew – but he refused to show any pain. There was no time to acknowledge pain, anyway – now, he had his opening. Bakura had him pinned, but had left his sword arm free.

Atem wasn't going to get another chance – so he forced his sword up, and plunged it straight into Bakura's throat, the blade entering one side violently, and coming out of the other side slick with black blood.

The claws holding him suddenly relaxed, and Bakura collapsed, blood leaking from between his fangs.

Atem released a breath, then wrenched his sword from Bakura's throat. He only spared one more look upon his opponent – slowly, Bakura was reverting back to his original form, returning to his human shape in death. His eyes were open – the brown eye and the vampire eye, both sightless.

Turning away, Atem crossed the bridge, to where Anzu's body lay. He kneeled, and gingerly took her into his arms. The knife wound stood out lividly against her skin, blood staining the pale length of her neck.

"I'm sorry," he whispered into her hair. He wouldn't leave her body here – she deserved more, and he could give her that, at least, since this was his fault. Bakura had targeted her because of him, and Atem had no doubt that if she had never met him, this wouldn't have happened." should have stayed away from you. I should have known better."

It was because of him that she was dead.

There was a sound, and Atem saw her eyes slowly open. For a second, he could hardly move – it was impossible, the knife wound was so deep, she couldn't be alive. But her eyes, that intense blue, staring up at him from beneath those long, dark lashes of hers...that was real. She smiled weakly at him.

"You don't have to be sorry. He didn't cut me as deep as he thought he did."

"Thank God for that," he said, voice low.

She turned her face into his neck, and he closed his eyes, forgetting the pain of his wounds, forgetting that Domino was all but destroyed. Anzu was alive, and that was good enough for him.


	5. The Rolling Moon

Um, I haven't updated in a bit. So I'm updating now...

Hate kept him going. From the beginning, when he'd first been cast out of Domino, hate remained constant inside of him, until he thought he could feel nothing else. Maybe that had been the reason why the vampire queen had used him – because of his hate.

His parents had been people of prestige. A father that had been placed on the hunter Council, and a mother that had been a healing-master. He remembered them vaguely. His father's face always blurred in his mind, but he had been an imposing man, constantly dressed in black. His mother he could recall more; she'd always had blood stains on the tips of her nails, no matter how vigorously she washed her hands. She'd rarely left the hall of the Healers, and he could only recall her saying more than a few words to him, but they had been words of comfort. He had been sure, at one point, that she had loved him.

Then she was gone. Taken, and placed in a cell, to prevent her from hurting herself. Insanity had gotten hold of her, though no one knew why – or, at least, no one said that they knew the reason. It was kept silent. But Bakura knew. He had learned the reason, because she had told him, whispered it into his ear, before she was shut away, to rot in solitude.

"A secret of the hunters, Bakura," she'd said, voice soft and gentle. But her eyes...they'd burned, and her fingers had locked painfully into his shoulders. She'd laughed, the sound of it disturbing beyond anything Bakura could imagine. "Twins."

Bakura hadn't understood then. But she'd repeated it, over and over, until the word had become trapped in his mind. It had been the last thing she'd ever said to him.

Bakura had never forgotten. He had been young then, hardly able to comprehend why one word had been so important – why it had driven his mother mad. Then he had met his brother.

He and Ryou had been kept separate, up to the day Bakura had turned five. His father, dark eyes cool, mouth tight, had summoned the both of them to be presented to the Council.

The low, red light of the Council room had thrown the features of the Council members into sharp relief – Bakura had been uneasy at the sight of them, and confused at the sight of the boy that looked just like him – his brother, Ryou. He and the other boy stood in the middle of the Council room, with the Council members – Bakura's father at the forefront – gazing down at them with imperious eyes.

"So, these are your sons," said one, a man shorter than his father, in robes of deep grey. "Have they been tested?"

His father cast a bored glance at the man. "Of course. They have the blood in full force. With training, they shall both be sufficient hunters. Despite their mother."

Bakura flinched at his father's voice – and the mention of his mother. In the corner of his eye, he noticed that the boy next to him flinched too.

"Both of them, do you say?" drawled another Council member, shifting eagerly. Her hair curled strangely, and shadowed wide, gleaming eyes.

"Yes. Both," his father replied.

"What luck you've had, to father two children with such potential. And twins, as well." Bakura gazed to the side, startled at the voice that suddenly echoed in the Council room, without an apparent source. Then he noticed a woman, a little off to one side, separate from the rest of the Council. She sat in a place where the room's red light didn't quite touch, in a spill of shadow – Bakura wouldn't have seen her if she hadn't spoken, but now that he was looking at her, he couldn't take his eyes off her. Bakura had never, up to that point, seen a person with purple eyes before. The woman's straight hair was strange, too; it wasn't one color, but several, – black, crimson, and blonde – and impossibly long. Her lips formed a smug smile. "And yet, one must wonder. Their mother wasn't entirely stable, was she? Such a mental deficiency can certainly be inherited, there is no doubt of that..."

Bakura could see the anger rising on his father's face at the woman's words, and yet his father remained quiet, saying nothing. The rest of the Council began murmuring among themselves, considering what the woman had said. Bakura knew, in that instant, that his father had lost, and his silence meant that he had conceded something to the woman – though what that something was, Bakura had no idea.

"Nevertheless," the woman continued, "I believe they deserve some watching. After all, their mother was a healer of master-level, even if she did succumb to insanity – "

"Don't speak of her that way, like you know her."

Bakura glanced at the boy next to him. He stood trembling, pale skin even paler in obvious fear, glaring angrily at the woman.

The woman's purple eyes glowed like a cat's in the shadows. Were eyes supposed to do that, Bakura wondered? "So, one of you has some backbone," she said lowly. "Ryou, was it? Good." Her glowing eyes shifted, and met Bakura's. "What about you? Surely you have something to say as well."

Bakura thought of his mother – her patient, gentle hands against his face, telling him that he was indeed special, and then patting his head, pushing him out of the way, out of the Healer hall. She had been the person he was closest to, and yet...he'd never understood why he couldn't stay beside her, why it seemed he was a hindrance.

He missed her. And yet, at the same time, he felt relief, knowing that she would never push him away again, and he would never feel so...inadequate.

"My mother is a good person," Bakura said slowly, "even if she's gone crazy." He stared straight into the woman's eyes. "But you...you're not a good person. You're not even normal."

Vaguely, he heard the shocked gasps from the rest of the Council – even his father's own startled intake of breath. In the corner of his eye, he could see the boy – his twin – gazing sidelong at him, blinking rapidly.

"Ah." The purple-eyed woman tilted her head, her gaze becoming intense. She smiled, then tapped a long finger to her temple. "Very perceptive, little Bakura. Very perceptive."

* * *

He woke. There was the taste of blood, and he coughed, his throat constricting in agony. His teeth gritted together, and he cursed, though the sound that passed from his lips was less than human. He moved his hand, fingers stiff, and touched the place at his neck where the pain stemmed. The wound was wet with cooling blood, but healing. In a few more hours, there would be no trace of it – no sign that Atem had nearly succeeded in killing him.

Bakura cursed again, remembering that the man had defeated him, despite everything. Cynthia's gift had been useless. Snarling, Bakura forced himself to his feet, clutching at his eye – the left one, which should have guaranteed him victory against Atem. He had paid a high price for the eye, trading a part of his humanity, a part of a his soul, so that he would obtain its power. And yet...he had still lost, for all that he had a vampire's eye.

The sun was rising, but the sky was dark, like deep night. The bridge was bathed in weak light, the pool of his blood a dark, crimson stain. Alive. He smirked, despite the pain – Atem may have defeated him, but the man was a fool, still arrogant beyond measure, and far too ready to underestimate an opponent.

It was time to disabuse him of such arrogance. He stared down the expanse of the bridge, his hair lifting in the heated wind that blew from the burning Colosseum. No doubt Atem had run to the sanctuary that held the Millennium Items – just as Bakura had wanted him to. In their childhood, Atem had been lauded as a genius, a prodigy – yet he was so easy to manipulate, it was pathetic.

He stared across the bridge only a little longer, then turned, forcing thoughts of Atem, and his defeat, out of his mind. Cynthia had been very clear in her orders – he was done with Atem, for now. It was time to do some damage to the remaining hunters, those that had survived the initial siege.

Bakura had no doubt that his brother was still alive – and it had been so long since he had seen him.

It was time to remedy that.

* * *

Mana knew things were bad when she found Kaiba wounded, bleeding from a deep gash just beneath his ribs. She glanced to the side, checking for any sign of danger, before slinking from the shadows to help him.

His head snapped up, pupils dilating in his icy eyes, and a stake nearly imbedded itself in her heart. Mana dodged and cursed, the stake just passing over her shoulder. She clamped her hands over the man's wrists, before he attacked her again.

If she'd been any slower, she would have been dead before she could blink twice. Typical Kaiba.

"Stop it, you jerk," she hissed. "It's Mana. Chill, or you'll attract attention."

Kaiba took a breath, relaxing – if only by a hair. "Idiot girl. What are you doing here?"

Mana fought down a sigh. "Saving you, obviously."

He stood up straight, shrugging her hands off his wrists. "No. I mean why are you here, when you should be in Battle city?"

Mana glanced at him sidelong. "I'm looking for any stragglers. Like you." Her eyes traced his face. It was pale and drawn, blood trailing down from his sweat dampened brown hair. She'd never seen Kaiba in such a state. "Come on. There's an entrance nearby. The sooner we get you to a healer, the better."

Black smoke clung to the ground, like a dark, ominous cloud. Mana pushed through it, giving Kaiba the support of her shoulder. The man was stubborn, but far from stupid – maybe, in any other situation, he would have refused her help, but not now. He stayed silent as they pushed forward together, his movements sluggish, pained. Mana didn't ask questions; there was a time and a place for them, and this wasn't it.

She inhaled slow, easy breaths, to conserve energy. Things had happened mind-numbingly fast – people were either dead or dying, and Domino was steadily being incinerated into the ground. The hunters, Domino's main defense, were regrouping, but there was no denying the fact that they had been caught unprepared for an attack – and, as a result, most had been killed. Friends that Mana had known – and pestered – were dead, and a part of her wanted so badly to simply stop, to think of those familiar faces, and imprint them on her mind. But there was no time. Mana had little doubt that most of Domino would be nothing but ashes by tomorrow – so for now, she would be a hunter, and not a weeping little girl, for the sake of those that still survived.

Kaiba needed her. It boggled her mind, almost, to realize that one of the strongest hunters in three generations had no choice but to lean on her. Kaiba was a vindictive man, and one of the meanest creatures alive – as far as she could tell, he cared only for his brother, and his dragons. But Kaiba was also a hunter that placed much on his sense of duty; though Mana had no idea what had happened to him, she knew, without any doubt, that he had gotten hurt fighting to keep the vampires at bay. He was aware of the full extent of his responsibility as a hunter, and even if he possessed little to no compassion, he still fought for Domino and its people. If nothing else, she could respect him for that, at least.

He was also one of the few hunters still alive. Mana felt overwhelming relief that she'd found him when she did – Kaiba was a hunter of immense strength, and yet he was injured to the point where he could barely walk. It was almost incomprehensible, the thought of Kaiba being wounded; he was a fighter of such caliber that he could easily take on a vampire, perhaps even several, and kill them without even obtaining a scratch. It made Mana wonder. Domino had somehow been caught unaware, and destroyed within a matter of hours. Hunters like Kaiba, with skill and power, had been easily killed, despite years of experience fighting vampires. Something didn't add up, and it made her afraid.

Kaiba suddenly stopped, and stood perfectly motionless. Mana planted her feet solidly to the ground, so she could bear his weight – he was tall, and amazingly heavy with his armor, and Mana, admittedly, didn't have the physical strength that most hunters possessed. She huffed in exasperation, redistributing her own weight to the balls of her feet.

"What are we stopping for – "

Kaiba's hand clamped over her mouth so quickly, she almost choked. Her eyes flew to his face – his teeth were clenched, his face white. She glanced into the shadows ahead of them – shadows cast by the pale flames burning what was left of Domino. In the shadows, she saw it, the thing that looked like an overly beautiful human...with wings.

A vampire. Mana's hand slipped over the thin, smooth pole tied to her back, releasing it from its holster. Her thoughts shifted, no longer slightly exasperated and worried, but fiercely focused; quickly, she analyzed every detail – her eyes swept over the ground, obscured by the thick layers of black smoke...which meant unsure footing. Her gaze flicked from the ground, and momentarily slid to Kaiba. He would be vulnerable, wounded as he was, so she would be forced to defend him. Added to that, their position was to the vampire's advantage – the area was open, and despite the high, vaulted structures that crisscrossed this part of the city, there was still plenty of maneuvering room for a vampire in flight.

Mana instantly knew that engaging the vampire by herself would be stupid. Beyond stupid. There was a reason why Kaiba was so severely wounded...and Mana really had no wish to discover the exact specifics of that reason. Still...she saw no other way. She flicked her wrist, the pole in her hand elongating, fluidly forming her weapon, its serrated edges gleaming.

The vampire looked amused, purple eyes – far paler than Yugi's or Atem's – widening incredulously. "So eager to fight, are we, little human girl? Or, shall I say, little hunter girl." The vampire smirked, then held out his arms in an invitingly. "I've never fought a mortal female, but I'm sure it'll be exciting. Well? Come at me, little girl, with that whip of yours."

Mana took in a breath. Her fingers tightened over her whip's shaft, and she lowered herself slightly, into a fighter's crouch. With her opposite hand, she pushed Kaiba away – a testament to his condition, since he didn't even resist, but allowed himself to be forced back. Still, Mana knew if they did get out of this alive, she would have to give Kaiba a wide berth, afterwards; Kaiba would _never _forget that she had the audacity to push him back from a fight – no matter if he was weaker than a half-dead kitten. He would hate her, perhaps even more than he despised Jonouchi.

But for now, the vampire held her attention. The creature hadn't moved, remaining motionless, arms still outstretched. If her nerves hadn't been so taut, she would have admired the vampire's features – skin a deep, tanned brown, with the strange contrast of pale gold hair. The hair was especially long, spiking at the temples, and then falling, framing his neck. Mana remained absolutely still, but his neck caught her interest. She breathed, forcing her muscles to relax.

The vampire's pale eyes glittered. "Come."

Mana snapped her wrist, and her whip flew up, the scythe-like blades along its length slicing air, singing. Her bladed whip rose, and kept rising, twisting and coiling like a cobra.

When it could rise no further, she moved.

Often, when she was younger, she was told constantly that she wasn't fit to be a hunter. Her body was too light – never mind that she ate like food was going out of style – and her build too fragile; she didn't have the strength to meet a vampire head-on in battle. But Mana had always been stubborn. She trained hard, irritated her teachers into submission, and learned how to fight and win against opponents physically more powerful than she could ever hope to be.

Speed was the trick. Even if an enemy was stronger, if they couldn't catch her, the game was up.

The vampire didn't move an inch when she rushed at him, looking unfazed at her sudden burst of speed. She came close, their noses nearly touching, before he did anything. In that split second, the vampire smiled, baring his fangs.

Then he blurred out of sight. She shot forward, slightly surprised. Then she checked her speed, skidding to a stop, and jumped.

Her whip snaked around her as she rose up, meeting the vampire where he reappeared in midair. The vampire's wings folded, and he dropped, wind tearing at his hair. She forced her leg up, driving her foot to catch the vampire's face, in a violent kick.

His hand caught her foot, halting the kick. But Mana was already countering, entering into a back flip, and swinging her whip. The whip stopped coiling around her, surging forward. Its blades caught one of the vampire's wings, and bit deep.

The vampire didn't flinch as the blades entered his wing –instead, with his opposite hand, he grabbed hold of her shoulder. His fingers clenched, and enormous pressure erupted over her collar bone. Mana twisted, but the vampire held tight; they fell, her whip piercing his wing, and his hand crushing her shoulder.

The sound of wind screamed in her ears, pain rippling from her collar, down to her spine. If she didn't free herself quick, the force of the vampire's grip wouldn't just destroy her shoulder – it would rupture the vertebrae of her back, and she would be paralyzed. And then there was the ground to worry about...

Mana swung her legs up into a scissor kick – her ankles crossed, and caught the vampire by his neck...her original target. Getting close enough to the vampire's throat had been her main priority from the beginning. And, while her legs weren't strong enough to cause any real damage, they would give her leverage.

Her fingers loosened from her whip's pole, pulling it back lightly. The blades, as a result, exited from the vampire's wing. Mana kept pulling, and the whip lashed behind her, its length wrapping over an exposed ledge. She clamped her hand more firmly over the whip's pole, as she and the vampire suddenly swung in an arc, Mana upside down, with the vampire above her, neck still trapped between her legs. The whip curved, snapping, and they gathered speed – at the end of the arc, Mana was swinging forward, the vampire now beneath her, and they were flying so fast she worried her muscles would rip from the sheer velocity. But she didn't let go of him, not until they started to rise, almost entering into another arc.

Then she uncrossed her ankles, and released his neck.

She saw his body hurtle forward, then collide with into the heights of an elaborate spire, as she kept swinging upward. Landing neatly on the ledge, she straightened, panting and trembling. The spire, already half destroyed, crumbled with the vampire's impact.

"That was definitely harder than I thought it'd be," she muttered, idly tugging her whip's handle. The whip unwound itself from the ledge, and retracted back into a slender shaft. "Kaiba owes me for this."

"So confident, little hunter girl. Aren't I the one you owe?"

Mana turned, eyes widening. Wings opened, feathers gleaming – they were deeply red, dark as blood.

Fingers closed over her throat, and lifted her. The vampire drew Mana close, his pale purple eyes still amused.

"You didn't even let me tell you my name," he whispered, smiling. His fingers suddenly dug violently into her neck. Mana felt her lungs spasm, and she started screaming.

"It's Marik."

* * *

The dice fell. Snake eyes. Otogi looked up. The girl – Rebecca – stared back at him, with wide, guileless eyes. Then she opened her hand.

"Pay up," she said, and for a moment, Otogi struggled. Was it right to renege on a bet if your opponent was a minor? He leaned back, seriously considering it. After all, Rebecca couldn't do anything to him, could she?

"No tricks, Duke."

Otogi scowled. He really hated it when people called him that. Especially little blonde upstarts like Rebecca – the girl was too intelligent for her own good. Or his own good. "You know me, kid," he murmured, with a slow grin. "I would never – "

Rebecca's blue eyes narrowed. "You would," she hissed. "Now give me my money."

Little twerp. Otogi's scowl transformed into a sneer. "I don't have to give you anything. You're too young to be gambling anyway."

A rather disturbing smirk formed on Rebecca's face. "Oh. Mad that I beat you at dice, huh, Duke?"

Otogi fought back a grimace. It was common knowledge that Rebecca had the ability to get under people's skin, though Otogi thought his was tougher than most. Still, he was irritated that the girl had managed to defeat him at dicing – a game of absolute luck – almost a dozen times. He half wanted to call her out as a cheat, but he knew better than that, since the dice were his own personal set. Most of his reputation had been won on those dice, so he kept them close to his heart – literally.

His hand closed over his dice. Rebecca hadn't loaded them – couldn't have, not unless she'd stolen them while he was sleeping. And besides that, his dice felt normal. The girl wasn't a cheater – a little snob of a brat, maybe, but not a cheater.

Which meant that he had lost fairly. In all the years he had spent dicing, Otogi had never lost, not to anyone. If it got out that a teenage girl had beaten him, there would be...problems.

Gritting his teeth, Otogi tossed a wad of money in Rebecca's direction. She caught it deftly in her left hand.

"Keep your mouth shut about this," he said lowly, ignoring the girl's triumphant look.

Rebecca snorted. "And if I don't?"

He glared at her, hard. "I'm sure your grandfather won't be happy to hear that his little granddaughter is gambling. And using his money to do it."

Petty as it was, Otogi took some pleasure when he saw the girl suddenly go pale, her eyes utterly terrified. If it had been anyone else, Otogi wouldn't have resorted to the threat of blackmail – but Rebecca, though she was young, wasn't the sort of person that could be made to back down easily.

"So. Is all of this behind us?" Rebecca nodded slowly. "Good." Otogi pocketed his dice, and stood. They had played for more than a hour, and now he was starting to feel the press of time. "It's back to work for me, if you don't mind."

Rebecca didn't offer up any argument. Idly, she rolled the wad of her winnings between her fingers. "Actually, Duke, I was sent here to tell you something. I was going to, but you challenging me to dice got me sidetracked – "

" – You challenged _me,_ you irritating little – "

" – if you say so. Anyway, I meant to tell you earlier, but it kind of slipped my mind. You know, I think dicing makes me forget things. Or maybe it's winning? 'Cause I did do a lot of that..."

"Get to the _point,_ Rebecca."

The girl blinked, looking suddenly timid. "Um, yeah, the point. Well, Grandpa told me to tell you something very important. He said, 'It's something that will make Otogi either very happy, or very upset.'"

Otogi was getting a bad feeling. "Go on."

"Grandpa also said, 'It's something that will completely flip Otogi's life upside down.'"

This was just getting better and better. "That sounds very interesting, Rebecca. Now, if you would be kind enough to _spit it out_?!"

Rebecca laughed nervously – very uncharacteristic for her. Rebecca was never nervous. "Well, I guess I should tell you the good part, first." She took a deep breath. "The Millennium Items are in Battle city."

Otogi's heart almost stopped dead. The Millennium Items, here? He took a breath, his teeth clenching. "So," he asked slowly, his eyes locking directly on Rebecca's. "What's the bad news?"

For the first time since he'd known her, Rebecca looked frightened. "Someone came with them."

Otogi stared at her, his eyes narrowing. "Who?"

"Atem."

* * *

Waking was difficult. There were vague images drifting in her mind – memories that she had half forgotten. Wings that were darker than hers brushed against her fingers. Her mother's wings. It was so strange that she still remembered them, their texture – rough at the first touch, then softer as the tips of her fingers closed over them. It had been hundreds of years, and even in the dream – because this had to be a dream – Anzu was surprised that she could see her mother so vividly.

Her mother's feathers were straight, long and elegant, the color deep. Even as a child, Anzu had never been able to figure out if they were violet, or purple, or green; the color always changed, shifting from one shade to another. Before she had reached her maturity as a vampire, Anzu had always wished that when her wings emerged, they would be exactly like her mother's...

"No. Blue. You're wings are going to be blue, Anzu."

Her mother glanced back at her, gray eyes gentle, a smile on her lips. In the dream, her mother looked so real – her skin was slightly golden, not pale, like most vampires. Her hair rose in the wind, a brown darker than Anzu's.

Then her mother grabbed her by the chin, talons plunging beneath her jaw.

"But that doesn't matter, does it? Your wings didn't save me." Her mother's quiet voice became harsh, unbearable. Grey eyes turned to face her fully, and half of her mother's face was melted away, a horrific ruin, lips burned down to naked bone.

"Why didn't you save me, Anzu?"

* * *

Wow, that was a long time in coming. Hopefully another update soon...


	6. As One in Shadow

Her eyes opened. There was the smell of smoke and blood – shaking, she pushed herself forward, into a sitting position, Atem's crimson cloak, which covered her like a blanket, sliding down her arms. Her throat burned, but the pain was distant – a soft ache. Damp strands of her hair fell limply over her eyes, and she hugged herself, her own fingers clenching tightly over her sides. The dream lingered, and the mingled scent of smoke and blood made her tremble. Her vision, somewhat blurred at the edges, swept over the dark, glistening walls of the surrounding cavern – and she remembered. They had escaped to this place, an underground system of caves, deep beneath Domino, to escape the city, which now lay steeped in flame. Atem had whispered to her that they would travel through the underground ways, in order to reach the Domino's sister city – Battle city. He had said that they would be safe here, until then. But at the moment, feelings of safety escaped her, the image of her mother – beautiful, even among vampires, and so incredibly gentle – remained behind her eyes, and she trembled all the more, unable to suppress the horror of that ruined face, burned at the hands of a vampire who had known no mercy, a man filled with filthy, ruthless greed, and cruel beyond imagining…

Anzu fought to get a hold of herself. To her left, she saw Atem, sleeping sitting up, his arms crossed, near a deep yellow fire. Close to him stood Gaia, the stallion's strange indigo skin and pale mane gleaming – the horse's eyes, darkly red, reflected fire light. Against Gaia's flank, strapped to a thin saddle, was a strip of Atem's cloak. As the horse padded away, the strip of cloak shifted, and something long and slender slid slightly out from its folds.

Anzu stared at it – the Millennium rod. Against the strip of Atem's cloak, it glistened, so intensely golden it looked more like liquid than any sort of metal. The eye embedded at the top of the rod – what Atem had called the eye of truth – melted into darkness, as Gaia moved away from the fire. Still, even with the Millennium rod disappearing into shadow, a beam of white light flared from the eye, searing like a star.

The Rod, Torque, Scales, Key, Ankh, Eye, and Puzzle. Atem had told her offhandedly that together, the Millennium Items could create a force that not even vampire technology could overcome. Domino had been protected by them since the first days of the hunters – they were, in reality, the only reason why hunters existed at all. In the thousands of years before hunters had risen, humanity had lived as prey, as slaves, to vampires – but the Millennium Items had changed that. When they were created, by some human whose name was lost in time, it had been for the sole purpose of making weapons that could stand against the power of vampires. And each of the seven Items, alone, had once had power enough to bring even the strongest of vampires to their knees.

And yet, the Millennium Items were weakening. The destruction of Domino proved that – while Atem admitted that they still had some power, it was steadily dwindling, to the point that the Items no longer could defend even the smallest portion of the city. The hunters, who had relied so long on the protection of the Millennium Items, had paid a steep price; once the Items had failed, there had been nothing to stop a vampire of true power from obliterating Domino down to ashes.

Pegasus had made his move, striking when the hunters had thought themselves to be at their strongest. But how had he known that the Millennium Items were weak, when the hunters themselves hadn't been aware?

It made Anzu uneasy. Domino, the hunter city, had been destroyed in less than a day. Anzu's plans were now more than useless – she was still at Atem's side, and if she wanted, fully able to bind him to her as she had Yugi. But she couldn't see the point; Atem was no longer in a position to be a tool in her revenge.

She would have to wait. Pegasus had obtained more power than she had imagined, and he had made sure that there would be no one, mortal or vampire, capable of striking back against him.

For a moment, Anzu debated with herself. Casting her gaze to Atem, she watched as shadows from the fire played over his skin. If she stayed with him, there was a chance that she would never achieve her vengeance; Pegasus would go unpunished. Atem, who had seemed only a little while ago the perfect weapon for her revenge, was now badly wounded, many of the hunters that had followed him killed in the night. The Millennium Items, which he had fought so hard to reach, would be of little help for anything – like the city, they too were dying.

She should leave – bide her time elsewhere. That would be the smart decision...and, if Anzu were another vampire, one with less patience, she would have left. Remaining with a mortal, no matter if he was a hunter, had its risks. She'd already been attacked because of her proximity to Atem. The wound that Bakura had given her hadn't harmed her, not really, but it had placed her in a bad position – she had lost too much blood, and it would only be a matter of time before she would no longer be able to hold her human form. And when that happened...

It worried Anzu, to the point of fear, that she would lose control – and that would happen, soon, if she didn't feed. The blood starvation, among vampires, was hardly spoken of, but Anzu knew the effects of it in detail; vampires who became severely wounded, or those who refused to take blood, lost any and every inhibition, instinct ruling them completely. Her true vampire nature Anzu kept suppressed, restrained, as did all vampires – otherwise, she'd be little more than a monster, a slave to her killing instinct. But once blood starvation took over, even the strongest of vampires became powerless to restrain themselves from their real nature.

Yes, leaving would be the intelligent thing. The hunters had nothing to offer her now – and Pegasus was only gathering more strength, with each day that passed. But it wasn't in her character to run from anything – and she wouldn't. Maybe it was stupid of her to stay, but abandoning Atem was less than honorable, even if he was only human.

Slowly she stood, trembling slightly. She'd made her decision, but it would be a hard one – especially with Atem so close, badly injured by Bakura, and smelling of blood. Anzu glanced at his face, so identical to Yugi's. Her gaze traveled lower, to his neck, where the blue of his jugular vein contrasted with the bronze of his skin. Anzu took a breath.

Patience.

Atem's eyes opened, his pupils dilated. They flicked in her direction, sharp and intense. Then he smirked, his eyes glittering.

"I think we've been here long enough," he said. His hand slid over the hilt of his sword, and he stood. "Are you ready?"

Anzu forced herself to relax, pushing thoughts of blood from her mind.

"I'm ready," she whispered.

* * *

Ishizu was a healer of some skill, and she knew the fact well enough – she was confident in her healing prowess, and her years spent training, ever since she was a small child, reassured most of any reservations they had in her ability. Still, there were plenty of people who doubted her…and feared her. It was something that she'd come to terms with, though it troubled her, more than she preferred to admit. Her family line was an issue – tainted, some people said, with the blood of vampires. That was the reason why she'd eventually left Domino, to escape the hard, cold stares, and the hateful whispers. The people of Battle city accepted her, at least, and she was respected among the healers…despite her eyes.

In a vague, distant way, she missed Domino. She'd always thought it beautiful, with trees that seemed to remain eternally green, and its towering Headquarters, forged of gold. Battle city was exceedingly more technologically advanced, of course, and far more tolerant of people like…her… but, she had loved Domino's simplicity. A few days ago, she had contemplated seeking out to find one of the hidden transfer gates, and returning back into Domino, just for a day or so. It was done often enough, though mostly by high-ranking hunters – Otogi wouldn't stand for anyone else, especially a healer, to attempt it. His hatred of Domino had long since destroyed any connection between the two cities, except in dire need; the people of Battle city remained in Battle city, unless specifically ordered differently by Otogi himself.

Years upon years, perhaps close to a decade or so, had passed since Battle city had heard any word from Domino. Still, Ishizu had been aware of a little of the happenings of the outside world; healers were, for the most part, extremely partial to gossip, so she was more informed than most. The hunters of Domino had produced a champion – one born to kill the vampire king, as the prophesies went. If anything, she always took the gossip as mere rumor; a good majority of the healers, though talented, were also somewhat…airheaded. Taking anything they said seriously, outside of healing, was a waste of time. The only person that would have any knowledge on the subject was Otogi…and Ishizu had never been stupid enough to ask him anything pertaining to Domino.

She supposed none of that mattered now – since Domino was destroyed, burned to ashes…

Ishizu glanced to her side, her eyes suddenly catching movement. Something was in the clouds, tearing through them, and soaring upward. The sky, amber and gold at dusk, obscured its shape – but Ishizu knew for certain it was no bird. She'd seen enough birds, in her long years here in Battle city; hawks that floated on the warm drafts of air above the city, and the endless flights of grey doves that circled in the sky, throughout the day. But this…it flew far faster than any bird Ishizu had ever seen, shadowed by the clouds – moving almost as if it were avoiding the sun.

…Avoiding the sun…

Ishizu's teeth clenched, her blood suddenly going cold. Otogi would have to be told of this.

A vampire had breeched Battle city.

* * *

The smell of his blood made her uneasy. Anzu kept her eyes ahead of her, gazing at the random patches of darkness, split by sunlight leaking from the cavern ceiling. She focused on Gaia's indigo ears, watching as they swiveled, angling behind, then forward, as the horse treaded deeper into the shadows. Atem kept his hands slack on the reins, so the stallion moved at will, without any guidance. Anzu prayed that the horse knew where they were going – and that wherever it was, they would arrive there soon. She held herself stiffly, her breathing shallow, and her heart beating so quickly it was agony.

She was on the brink. It wouldn't be much longer before she would be forced to feed, or else spiral into hunger-induced madness. Anzu's eyes slid back, gazing weakly at Atem. He would not be safe, if she lost control…

A vague memory bloomed suddenly in her mind. Yugi, staring at her, his back to the fountain wall, everything about him radiating hatred – his stance, the tense line of his jaw, his eyes that burned. If she laid a hand against his brother, he would seek vengeance…and rightly so. And yet, she couldn't ignore it – the scent of Atem's blood, the sound of it, so close to her ear, as it surged in his veins. Anzu only had so much strength left, and it was rapidly running out.

Gaia stopped abruptly, jerking to a stand-still. The stallion's ears lowered against his milk-pale mane, his head snapping up as he lurched back, rearing with a scream. Something tore out of the darkness, and Anzu just managed to grab hold of Atem's hand, before she slid off of Gaia's back.

Her nails clenched against the skin of his wrist desperately, but she was falling, and so was Atem. She heard him yell out harshly, "Wheel, Gaia!"

The horse turned at Atem's command, pivoting, and a blade, immense and wickedly curved, slashed at the place they'd been a mere second ago. Anzu and Atem tumbled off of Gaia's spine – she felt a jolt as she landed on the cold ground of the cavern floor, but she forced herself to roll, weak though she was. Distantly, she could hear the ring of Atem's sword, as he drew it roughly from its sheath.

When Anzu stopped rolling, she got a skewed vision of a figure, taller than Atem, swinging a weapon that was impossibly huge. She released a breath, stumbling to her feet, keeping her gaze trained on their attacker. A spear. That gigantic blade was a spear.

She knew instantly that Atem was outmatched. The wounds that he had taken from his fight with Bakura were severe, and he had no armor…unlike his opponent. From what Anzu could see, the man, dark-haired and green-eyed, was a hunter as well – though why he was attacking Atem, she couldn't begin to fathom.

Atem's sword flashed blue against the iron blade of his opponent, his teeth clenching; the green-eyed hunter was forcing him back, that monstrous spear flickering in and out with a speed Anzu hadn't thought possible for a mortal. Where Atem parried, his attacker would sweep, the serrated edge of the spear catching and swinging Atem's sword out of the way – like someone swatting at a fly.

The hunter was toying with Atem, easily holding his sword at bay, all the while pushing Atem, until his back was to the cavern wall. The green-eyed man moved like a snake, the blade of his spear glinting as it danced in his hands – Atem was barely defending himself, his movements growing sluggish against the assault.

_Do something…_

Anzu blinked slowly. She was barely standing, but there was a sudden urge to help him – to save him. If he died, so would any remaining chance of casting her revenge on Pegasus. She needed Atem. He was as much her tool as Yugi was – if more valuable.

The decision was made before she could think twice about it – she released her grip on her human form, what little blood still flowing in her veins igniting, her wings slowly, achingly, preparing to tear themselves from her spine…

Inexplicable pain stopped her dead. The fire in her blood went cold, shivering bolts of agony tracing themselves along her back. Freezing. There was no more warmth, the hot thrum of her blood fading into ice. She couldn't breathe – her vision blurred, and the pain exploded into a new level of anguish. What was happening? Why…wasn't her heart beating?

Blood coated her tongue, and her eyes closed. This wasn't right. Even blood-starvation couldn't induce this…

_No, not yet. I'm not done yet…_

* * *

Dodge, turn, strike. It was the mantra of a novice, but it served – he was still alive, despite the thorough efforts of this hunter, who most certainly wanted to kill him. The man moved fluidly, and fast, to the point where Atem could barely keep up. But he wasn't dead yet; and that counted for something. Not much, but something.

He drew his sword low, parrying, the edge of his blade catching the hunter's monstrous spear. The metal of his opponent's weapon was of dense steel, heavy enough to nearly overpower him. Atem had to change tactics. He switched his grip over his sword's hilt, and disengaged. The spear, with powerful momentum, thrust forward, and buried itself into the cavern wall.

Atem grimaced. That would have been his torso, if he had remained where he was. He glanced quickly at his opponent – a hunter to the very teeth, elaborate copper armor gleaming in the dark, and specks of blood, _Atem's _blood, flecked over his face. The man had already given him additional wounds, to accompany the ones that Bakura had inflicted; small gashes, from where the tips of his spear had gotten caught within Atem's skin.

_I really don't have time for this_…Clenching his teeth, Atem weighed the few options he had left. He could keep fighting, and eventually lose – his current condition wouldn't allow this fight to last for much longer. On the other hand, running had little appeal; Atem was no coward, and he had never in his life retreated from an opponent – nor would he start now. That only left him one possible solution…

He lowered his sword point, until the blade rested at his side. "Why are you attacking me?"

Diplomacy wasn't exactly Atem's strong point, but he was far better at it than most; he had been raised in the midst of the subtle maneuverings of the Council, and had learned the methods of winning verbal altercations. If he could get this hunter talking, maybe he could end this quickly…

The hunter's green eyes flickered, a slow sneer writing itself across his face. "So I can kill you."

_Well, at least he answered, _Atem thought, immediately regretting wasting his breath. This hunter was a lot like Kaiba – sadistic and linear-minded, with psychotic, homicidal tendencies.

But Kaiba, at least, held some level of respect for Atem – even if that respect was laced with liberal amounts of pure hatred, it was there, and it kept him in line. But this hunter had no such restraint.

Shifting, Atem's opponent raised himself up to his full height, and swung the tip of his spear forward. The edges of the blade curved and forked, like a dancing flame. After being at the business end of that thing, Atem was reluctantly considering a third option. It was a last resort, and he hadn't wanted the situation to come down to this, but…

Atem's eyes jolted away from his opponent, his mind filled with a sudden, inexplicable fear. There was…bloodlust, filling the air, tearing at his senses, and for a long moment, his eyes couldn't focus, his body beginning to shudder uncontrollably. Instinctively, he raised his sword, his opposite hand clutching his temple. Atem recognized this feeling – he had experienced it once, years ago.

The pressure exerted by a vampire, driven insane by blood-hunger.

Atem couldn't make sense of it – there weren't any vampires here, in this cavern. There couldn't be –

And then he turned, and it clicked. His eyes fell on Anzu, and he saw…something that surprised him, but perhaps it shouldn't have.

He had suspected from the beginning that she was too beautiful, too attractive. But, like a fool, he'd ignored it; after all, Yugi had brought her into Domino, and no hunter in his right mind, especially his brother, would willingly allow a vampire in a mortal city. And yet, the signs were there – and now, his suspicions were confirmed.

Anzu's eyes met his own, the whites bleeding into deep, unfathomable blue, the irises pale, and glowing. Atem released a slow breath. _Ah, I've been such an idiot._

She held his gaze only a second longer – and then, without warning, those inhuman, demonic eyes rolled back, and her body crumbled to the ground.

He instinctively moved toward her, and then stopped himself. He couldn't deny what she was any longer – a mortal enemy. Anzu was a danger to him, and his people; worse, it was entirely possible that she was in league with Pegasus. Why else would she attach herself to him and his brother?

Atem's teeth clenched. Sudden anger exploded in his chest, his fingers tightening over the hilt of his sword, until the grip was painful. He had allowed himself to be tricked by the guile of a vampire – and still, even with the realization of Anzu's true nature, there was something, an emotion on his heart that he couldn't be easily rid of…a weakness. An utter weakness.

He despised vampires, and all that they had done to humanity – despised them with a hatred that nearly blinded him. And Anzu, so beautiful, so graceful, was a predator, a monster, a killer of his kind. Atem didn't know all of the details, but he was absolutely certain of one thing: she had manipulated him for her own ends. _And Yugi is responsible for bringing her into Domino in the first place…_

There was a spray of blood, the iron blade of his opponent's spear tearing into his side. Atem ignored the resulting flash of pain, snarling at the hunter's audacity. He had known that the man had meant to kill him, and yet, to attack a person with their back turned…

_He doesn't have even an ounce of honor…_

Atem's reservations flew out of the window. He hadn't wanted to do this man any harm; the hunter, even if he was attacking Atem, was one of his own. Turning against another hunter, even a hunter filled with hostility, was something that Atem refused to consider…under normal circumstances. But with the man's spear half-buried in his side, Atem decided he would make an exception.

Inclining his head, Atem met the eyes of the hunter – the man smiled, face written with a sort of sadistic triumph.

"Easy," the hunter breathed, those green eyes glittering with what Atem could only call insanity. "Too easy."

Atem replied with a bare whisper. "Gaia."

Red eyes gleamed suddenly from the darkness, and the stallion surged out of the shadows. The dark-haired hunter pulled his spear from Atem's side, turning at the sound of Gaia's scream – but before he could react, the stallion plowed into him, one massive shoulder knocking the man off his feet.

Gaia circled back, cantering to Atem's side. The Millennium Items, still wrapped in a piece of his crimson cloak, hung from the horse's saddle. Atem stared at them, considering. For this, he only needed one.

The Millennium Puzzle.

The instant his fingers touched the Puzzle's surface, the eye of Horus in its center blazed, with white searing light. The power of it was familiar, comforting, almost, as it seeped into his blood.

Atem's opponent stood, raising his gigantic spear, leveling Atem with a look of absolute contempt. "A horse? The great Atem has to resort to using a horse to defeat me?"

"No," Atem said softly, lifting the Puzzle up slowly by its chain. "I don't need a horse."

The white glow of the Puzzle's eye intensified, and a sound, like a high-pitched scream, reverberated off the cavern walls.

Atem closed his eyes. He had wanted to avoid this, but now he had no choice. Once he took care of this hunter, he could focus his attention on Anzu…and decide whether or not he should kill her.

When he opened his eyes, everything became bathed in burning, unbearable light.

* * *

The wolf bounded down to the shoreline. Rebecca huffed a little, irritated; Silver Fang was supposed to be helping her track Otogi, but already the animal was getting distracted.

She followed anyway, picking her way carefully to the water's edge. It was dusk, now, and the lake reflected the sky's waning light – deep pink and gold, with a setting, crimson sun. Silver Fang lowered his head, sniffing at the shoreline's pale sand. Rebecca frowned, grumbling inwardly about the uselessness of the wolf – probably, he'd scented a rabbit, or a squirrel or something, and was just leading her on a wild goose chase. She plopped down onto the sand, despondently plunging her fingers into the water that lapped at the shore's edge. The lake was man-made, but lovely for all of that; having lived all of her life in Battle city, Rebecca had never seen a real lake – at least, not up close. With twilight giving way to darkness, she wondered if it would be better to just stay here for a while, and give up on finding Otogi for the night.

Silver Fang's head suddenly came up, ears pricked forward, and tail lifting straight into the air. The wolf lunged into the lake, and splashed away from shore. Rebecca stood, hardly able to believe her luck.

"You stupid mutt," she hissed, stomping her foot in frustration. "Get back here, right now!"

Silver Fang paid her no heed, swimming ardently in the direction of the lake's center. Rebecca watched him, worried out of her mind; Silver Fang was her responsibility. What if he drowned?

But the wolf cut across the lake powerfully, without faltering once. As the last rays of sunlight drifted over the surface of the water, Silver Fang became a dot in the distance, his steel-colored fur glinting in the final glow of dusk. She narrowed her eyes, struggling to make out the wolf's dim shape. She could just barely see Silver Fang's head, and the tall tips of his ears.

Then he disappeared.

Rebecca blinked, before sucking in a breath. He was gone! Biting down on her tongue, she fought to keep from cursing – or sobbing. How was she supposed to find Otogi now?

Frustrated, she half considered leaping into the lake herself, if it would save that idiot of a canine. She'd had Silver Fang since the wolf was a cub, and Otogi had been the one to give him to her. The Otogi of her childhood had been gentle, and generous – and Silver Fang, a wolf bred in the high, western mountains of the outside world, had been a prize worthy of a skilled hunter; instead, when she was nothing but a sad, snotty-nosed, newly orphaned brat, Otogi had dumped the wolf cub onto her lap, and told her to care for the beast. Rebecca had always thought that Silver Fang had been wasted on her, since she'd shown no talent for hunting, but Otogi always refused the notion that she give the wolf to one of his captains.

_I gave him to you. No one else. Now shut up, you're giving me a headache._

In those days, Otogi had been easy to talk to – even if he was normally a rude jerk – and kind, in his own way. But now…now there was something, like a shadow, that lurked in his eyes. Otogi had always hated Domino and its people, but that hate had transformed, until it was something dark, an insidious obsession.

Rebecca had known that she'd made a mistake in relaying her Grandpa's news to Otogi. Grandpa, because he oversaw the transfer gates between Domino and Battle city, had been aware of the instant that Atem had entered the extensive caverns beneath Domino – the caverns that led to the largest transfer gate between the two cities. It hadn't been unexpected; with the sudden destruction of Domino, its surviving people and hunters had filed into Battle city, using the transfer gates. Atem, the leader of Domino's hunters, naturally would have followed suit.

But Otogi's eyes, as soon as Atem's name had passed from her lips, had darkened, an unnatural shadow passing over them. He'd left, without another word, and no one had seen hide nor hair of him since. For the first few hours, Rebecca had been unconcerned; Otogi was the head of Battle city, and he certainly didn't make it a point to tell everyone, especially her, what he planned to do every waking minute of the day. But those hours had stretched, and Otogi's captains had become frantic – this had never happened before. Otogi, egotistical, duty-minded fiend that he was, hadn't once skipped off the radar like this.

Which was why she needed Silver Fang. The captains, though they were steadily growing more anxious about Otogi, couldn't just drop everything to search for him – with Otogi missing, they were the next in the chain of command, and Battle city needed some sort of leadership with him no where to be found. With so many people from Domino entering Battle city, very few hunters could be spared – hardly any. That left Rebecca. She wasn't a hunter, or a healer, and was thus basically useless for anything at the moment. She could search for Otogi, if no one else would.

Quickly, Rebecca reached down, and stripped off her boots. Even if she didn't have the skill of a hunter, she was still a decent swimmer. Battle city needed Otogi. She would save her stupid wolf, drag him back to shore, and force him to track Otogi properly. Nodding grimly to herself, Rebecca removed her glasses, and set them on the sand. She looked out over the lake, and steeled herself.

This shouldn't be too difficult, right?

The ground rumbled, and suddenly tore open without warning – water exploded, and the tall, elegant trees that surrounded the lake fell, as though stricken by lightening. Rebecca heard herself scream, the sand beneath her feet suddenly sloughing away, towering waves of dark water reaching up to block out the sky.

For an instant, one overwhelming thought filled her mind: _This is Otogi's fault!_

Perfectly logical. Everything was Otogi's fault – especially this. She was going to die here, and it was all because of him. When she became a ghost, she was going to haunt him, that no good, green-eyed, arrogant, stuck-up jerk –

Everything stopped. Slowly, Rebecca opened her eyes – which she'd unconsciously shut in fear – and gaped. She wasn't dead, which was a good thing, but she was certainly confused. Where was the lake…?

She groped frantically for her glasses. Really, they weren't going to help anything – she could see perfectly fine without them – but right now, she needed their comfort. Strangely, her fingers found them without any trouble; they were in the exact spot where she'd left them, although they were no longer sitting upon sand. Where the sand had been, there was now only a smooth, pale surface, glimmering like some sort of white-hot metal.

Rebecca stood. The pale, metal-like surface had also replaced the waters of the lake, though where all that water could have possibly gone, she couldn't begin to guess. Deep lines, like runes or hieroglyphs, were curved into the surface, glowing with brilliant amber light.

_This is a transfer gate._

The realization was staggering. Rebecca's Grandpa had told her about every single transfer gate in existence…but this wasn't one of them. Either he had simply neglected to tell her of this one, or he himself didn't know about it. And if her Grandpa didn't know of it, then, most likely, no one else did…

_Especially since it's hidden in a lake. _Rebecca thought the idea of a secret transfer gate rather cool, though she wished she could have discovered it without a near-death experience.

Sliding her glasses back over her nose, she peered out over the distance. Sure enough, her eyes encountered the small, silver shape of her wolf. Silver Fang had known all along what this place was.

_I guess he isn't as stupid as I thought._

Silver Fang began to howl – a long, deep-throated howl, that sounded unbearably smug.

There would be no living with the mutt now. He had indeed found Otogi's trail, though she had doubted him.

_Well, he does chase his own tail for entertainment. Not the best track record. _Shrugging her shoulders, Rebecca walked out onto the transfer gate.

_Now, how am I supposed to use this thing…?_

* * *

Ishizu had not expected this. Otogi was no where to be found, and his captains were running about, clucking like crazed hens. Though it was not her place, she quickly called them to order. They were the hunter elite; there was absolutely no reason for this foolishness.

"Control yourselves," she said, struggling to keep her voice neutral. Ishizu was not in the habit of losing her temper, and nothing would change that – not even panicky, childish idiots.

One of the captains, garbed in formal, steel-blue armor, looked fearfully in her direction. His hair was disheveled, and his grey eyes possessed a wild look. "Ah – um, Ishizu. We, uh, weren't expecting you."

"That much is obvious." She refused to allow the sarcasm enter her voice, but the captain flinched nevertheless. "What's going on here?"

The rest of the captains cast nervous eyes upon her. She waited, for she was a healer, and thus a woman of patience. After a moment, a pair of captains stepped forward.

They approached her demurely, both looking slightly embarrassed. Of Otogi's fourteen captains, these two were the highest ranked – Ishizu knew them well, and couldn't understand for the life of her why things had degenerated to this point, with them here.

"Co-commander Mahaado, and Co-commander Vivian," Ishizu said softly. "Care to explain?"

Mahaado met her gaze, eyes serious. "It's all Vivian's fault."

Vivian blinked at that, violet armor glittering as she shifted angrily. "Quite untrue. Mahaado is incompetent, though I have tried to compensate for his idiocy…I mean, mistakes."

Gritting his teeth, Mahaado turned on Vivian. "Idiocy, is it? I wasn't the one who used the main frame to order pizza – "

"It was an accident, okay?"

"Really? An accident? You ordered ten, with anchovies!"

"Why, you little snitch - !"

Ishizu could see the problem now. As efficient and skilled in battle as they were, Otogi's captains had the misfortune of possessing only bits of fluff inside their skulls. Ishizu was surprised that Battle city hadn't crashed and burned to ashes yet. Otogi had been gone for a little less than a day, but already his captains were making a mess of things.

Irritated, she barked out a command. "Hush, the both of you."

Vivian ceased choking Mahaado's tanned neck mid-squeeze, and Mahaado himself turned to stare dumbly at Ishizu.

"I meant this news for Otogi, but seeing as he isn't here at the moment, I guess I'll have to give it to you." Ishizu released a slow breath. "There's a vampire in Battle city."

Vivian burst into laughter. "Seriously, Ishizu? I mean, I know Mahaado's not the sharpest tool in the shed, but I for one am not so stupid that I'd fall for that one."

Mahaado's response was even less encouraging. "Vivian's an utter moron, but it isn't fair to speak lies to her, Ishizu."

A rather vicious argument ensued, and Vivian's fingers tightened even more so over Mahaado's throat, in a dangerous looking vice-grip. Suddenly, Ishizu found her vast reserves of patience wearing intolerably thin. She'd never realized what exactly Otogi had to put up with – and she felt a flash of pity for him.

No wonder the man was a jerk. Ishizu would have become a raving lunatic, if she'd had to deal with this lot day in and day out.

"You're so stupid, you couldn't fight your way out of a box of macaroni –"

Vivian screeched, "Oh, yeah? Well, have you seen your _face _lately – "

"Be silent!"

It had been years since Ishizu had been forced to raise her voice. She hadn't come all of this way, to Battle city's control-core, to listen to these…_imbeciles._ With Otogi missing, there was dire need of someone to lead – someone with more than two brain cells to rub together; and if she had to take over the line of command, then so be it.

Ishizu stared down at them both, taking no heed of how the rest of the captains were cowering in the shadows of the control-core. Slowly, she inhaled, then released a cool breath. Maybe, just maybe, this plague of stupidity was because of the control-core's darkness – this place was like a forest of twisted black steel and technology, the only light emanating from the main-frame. It was entirely possible that these captains needed sunlight to re-grow their common sense. That is, if they'd ever had any to begin with.

"Now, you listen to me," Ishizu whispered, and Vivian and Mahaado stared at her with wide, unblinking eyes. "There is a vampire in Battle city. Never make me repeat myself, is that clear?"

There were two frightened, quick nods.

"Good. This is what you will do – set the main-frame for a course to the nearest range of mountains. Have the main-frame hide Battle city in the clouds of those mountains. Understand?"

Fortunately, they did.

"When you are finished, you and the other captains shall come with me. We shall go to the sector of the healers, and I expect each and everyone of you to be prepared, and to act swiftly, when the time comes."

Vivian raised a tentative hand. "Um, sorry, but why are we going to the healer's sector?"

Ishizu sighed. "Weren't you paying attention? That's where the vampire is – and he now has control of the minds of every one of the healers, so I'd bring plenty of weapons, if I were you."

* * *

Everything smelled clean, sterile, and his eyes were half-blinded by the walls of glistening silver. The levels above were empty, devoid of movement, but this main floor, despite being considerably vast, was hardly any better – only a few healers, those he had caught and hypnotized, moved in the center. As night fell, cool, glowing light flared from the floors, brilliant where the healers stood, but casting dark shadows everywhere else.

He stayed in those shadows, watching the healers tend his mother. They were gentle, and that put him at ease. She was safe, and in caring hands – now the only thing that remained were her legs. They were bloody, broken, and almost completely destroyed; but, these healers…they could save them, restore them.

_And if they don't, I'll kill them all._

The murderous thought came without warning. He backed further away, deeper into the shadows. This wasn't…right. His mind was caught in a haze, memory shifting over memory, and confused images flashing behind his eyes. He could remember fire, fingers of unnaturally hot flame curling skyward, burning, consuming, rendering an entire city to ashes. But the fire hadn't touched him, or his mother; they had escaped, without coming to harm. Still, there was the urge to return to that place, to seek vengeance. But his mother came first – once she was completely healed, he would leave, and go back to…Domino. Yes, that was the name of the city, of his home. He would go back, and he would destroy the ones who had reduced Domino to nothing.

His lips peeled back from his teeth in anticipation. The desire to kill was so strong he could hardly contain it, and the hunger – it was unbearable, agonizing. He prayed that the healers would mend his mother's legs as quickly as possible. It would be so easy to give in, to submit to the urge to murder, to spill the blood of every person here indiscriminately…

His fingers reached up, and clenched against his throat. _No. This isn't me. _He was a hunter, and he would never lay a hand against the innocent. Never.

A scream tore from his mother's mouth. Her eyes flew open, absolute fear dilating her pupils. Her terrified gaze found him, and she stretched a trembling, desperate arm in his direction.

"Help me. Help me."

He couldn't ignore the sound of her voice. Slowly, he moved into the light, shadows sliding from his skin. The eyes of the healers flicked up at his approach, and he could sense the soft undercurrent of their fear. They backed away from his mother, their gazes fixed solely upon him. But they didn't run. Their minds belonged to him – he had complete control of their thoughts, of their inclinations. Just a look, and he had been able to bind them, and bend them to his will…

Anzu had done the same unforgiveable thing, and he had allowed it, because of his weakness. A sudden, inexplicable emotion surged suddenly at the thought of her – not hatred, or even anger, but a feeling that was hot, overwhelming, and his body shook with the force of it. She had made him a slave, and he had done her will, the will of a vampire, even to the point of jeopardizing his own people. A small part of him distantly appraised the terrified, but obedient healers, staring at him with glazed eyes, and knew that he was no different from Anzu – just as she had taken him, and used him for her own purposes, he was doing the same. Worse, even, for they had no control over their own thoughts – his desire was their desire, and until his mother was completely healed, they would obey his will as their own, despite their fear. It was painful, knowing that he was manipulating them, using them, as though they weren't human, as though they didn't have emotions. And yet…it was necessary. If he hadn't taken their minds, they would have fled, blinded by their fear, and his mother, already weak from blood loss, would have died.

He despised it, loathed himself, for what he was doing to them. He was no better than Anzu – she, at least, had only taken control of him, and no one else. What he had done…he could not forgive himself, for turning these people into slaves, even if it was to save his mother from death.

Thoughts of guilt and shame blanked suddenly from his mind, replaced by the shock of the unnatural craving, the consuming, agonizing urge to feed. It wasn't fully hunger, or thirst, but some corrupted mixture of both; images of blood, flowing freely, and splattering against the ground, nearly wiped away all of his self-awareness. He stopped short, stiffening, his vision draining of all color – his eyes could only perceive abject shades of grey, but the veins of the healers blazed crimson with their blood, their arteries glowing in tandem with the beating of their hearts.

He heard a sound, a low, snake-like hiss. If he killed one, there were still enough healers that his mother wouldn't suffer – just one, to alleviate the pain. There was another inhuman hiss, deeper, that passed once more from his lips. _Only one._

"Yugi."

His mother. Her voice was softer now, devoid of terror, cool. It drew a part of him back from the verge, the part of him that wasn't completely overtaken by the instinct to kill.

Her eyes were dark, intense with anguish, but her arm continued to reach for him, insistent, determined. "Come to me, Yugi."

His name cut through the blood lust, though only just. He wanted to give in, needed to give in, but his mother's voice held him. He moved toward her, close enough to allow her fingers to brush his cheek. The touch of her fingertips stabilized him further, and gave his mind a moment of clarity – he remembered who he was, or, at least, who he had been. Son of a Council Member, brother to Atem, a hunter of Domino, a protector of its people…

Human.

"I did this to you," she whispered. "The seal was meant to negate the influence of the blood within you, but…mortal blood can't withstand vampire blood. I should have known. You were unfortunate – Atem was born with the talent, the power to hunt, but you received the curse. My first born became a genius, the greatest hunter of a generation, but you…you became a monster."

His mother's fingers tightened against his face, and he drew closer, ignoring the wave of pain that arose from her words. Always, since his childhood, had he known what his mother had thought of him; she'd loved Atem, unconditionally and fiercely, but he had only received revulsion and hate. He was the cursed twin, the corrupted one, tainted, and nothing he could do would change that. He'd tried – God, he'd tried, and failed. If he had been stronger, maybe things would have been different. His own fingers reached up and clenched unconsciously against his temple. If he was stronger, he wouldn't be like this – half of him terrified at his own raging, crippling hunger for blood, the other half begging, screaming for blood and death…

He didn't want this; he couldn't be this bloodthirsty, inhuman _thing._ He had known the consequences of removing the seal, had been fully aware of the price. But with the seal gone, he'd had the power to move the pillar from his mother's legs, the strength to bear her away from Domino. His mother's life was worth more than his, and, more than that, Atem needed her.

For his mother's sake, and his brother's, he'd made the sacrifice – but it was more than he could bear.

"I should have found a better way to contain you. A seal was not the answer – I see that now. I was a fool. But you must understand. The seal was all I could give you. That, and something else." Her eyes gleamed, a purple deepening into black. "Drink my blood."

"_No_." He recoiled from her fingers, backing away from her.

His mother's voice came out as a bare whisper – but it was hard. "I gave you a command, hunter. You will obey."

An order issued by a Council member couldn't be ignored, no matter the situation; the only person who possessed more authority was Atem – and his brother literally held power over every life in Domino. His mother was the head of the Council, and only a step lower than Atem. He had never disregarded any of her commands, not once, but in this, he would not obey.

He drew further away from his mother, from the healers. He couldn't stay here – the longer he remained, the surer the chance that he would lose control. His mother's eyes, intensely dark, tracked him, her jaw clenching.

"No! You will obey me. Come back, Yugi. Come back!"

She didn't understand what she was asking of him. She couldn't understand. He would never jeopardize her, she was far too important, too vital, and his presence here would only mean danger, for her, and for everyone around him.

And, added to that, there were hunters negotiating the shadows, moving through the surrounding darkness, silently positioning themselves. Fourteen, simply waiting, like leopards, for a moment of vulnerability. No, he couldn't stay.

He snapped his hold on the healers, freeing their minds from his own – they would need their thoughts absolutely clear, once the hunters attacked. It felt good, releasing them; they collectively blinked, glazed eyes sharpening with full awareness. They stood, giving each other quick, confused looks, before turning their attention to his mother. Relief washed over him. The healers would continue to help her, even without his control over them.

A silver stake, small and thin, embedded itself into his leg. There was a surge of stabbing pain, before another stake tore just beneath his collar bone. He released a breath, evading a third, and taking the hunter that suddenly appeared at his side by the throat.

The hunter was undaunted, plunging a longer, wooden stake into his shoulder. The instinctual urge to kill rose, and he flung the hunter away from him before he gave into it. The hunter landed on his feet, skidding along the floor, eyes cold.

"You can't defeat all of us, vampire."

A pair of hunters materialized above him, one swinging a scythe, the other sweeping out with a sword. He moved into the scythe, allowing its tip to gauge into his upper arm, while his fingers caught the wrist of the opposite hunter with the sword – he swiftly broke the bones of the hunter's wrist, catching the sword as it fell from the hunter's useless hand.

The instant he gripped the hilt, the skin of his palm burned and smoked – a weapon specially made to be held only by the hunter for which it was commissioned. He ignored the sudden, searing pain in his hand, parrying the scythe that swung toward his neck.

The hunter with the broken wrist was already reaching for another weapon, and more hunters were tearing from the shadows. They were overwhelmingly powerful, and far more than he could face at once. But at least with the sword, he could hold them off, for as long as he needed, until –

_I die. _These hunters, eventually, were going to overcome him. Against fourteen, each of them just as strong, if not stronger than Kaiba, he had little chance. But death wasn't an option; he was sworn to watch Atem's back, to protect the people of Domino, to fight beyond an inch of his life. And then there was Anzu…

_Not yet. Not yet…_

His control slipped.

* * *

He could remember his first vision of Battle city. It had been on the heights of a mountain, in the deep rain, and he had been a child, a brat of no consequence. Stopping in his tracks, he'd shielded his eyes against the fall of rain, staring out into the sky. Some _thing_, darkly grey and crimson, broke from the storm clouds, and his breath hitched at the enormity of it – massive beyond imagining, its shadow darkening the whole of the mountain. Otogi had known, in that instant, where he belonged – there, in clouds, on a flying city that soared miles above the earth.

That had been centuries ago. Otogi had been a wandering urchin, then, abandoned by nameless parents, and a pariah in Domino, the city of his birth. Even as a child, he had been unable to stand the hatred that he had received in Domino, and had struck out on his own, looking for a place where he wouldn't be called foul names – _freak, half-born, green-eyed monster _– a place where there would be no knowledge of his unfortunate blood. Battle city, constantly navigating through the sky, had never heard of him; he could live free, a normal human being, with no ties to vampires.

The decision had been simple for him – he'd had scrounged the streets of Domino for the first seven years of his life, eked out a meager, lonely existence on a snow encrusted mountain for another two. Battle city, even if its people hated him as the people of Domino had, _flew._ The idea of living in the sky was more than pleasant – it had made him exuberant, until he'd thought his heart would explode from sheer joy.

He had been so young then, full of naïve expectations. Battle city, when he had finally found a way on to it – there hadn't been any transfer gates at that time – did meet some of his fantasies. All of the people in Battle city were hunters, or of hunter blood, and so there was none of the docility that came with civilian life. Battle city created a people solely invested in the killing of vampires – if one wasn't a hunter, then they were a healer, or a smith of weapons, or a researcher of vampire lore. Nothing at all like Domino, with most people living obvious to any vampire threat, content to be guarded by a relatively small force of hunters. Otogi, even as a child, had liked Battle city's militant efficiency, and its people's utter dedication. Moreover, with literally all of Battle city focused on hunting, no one noticed him slipping into the ranks, and integrating himself as a student of the hunter academy.

The people of Battle city had been gentler, back then, far more trusting than they were now. Otogi had made an alias for himself – Duke Devlin – and a false lineage, and no one had thought to question it; within a few days, he was well established as the son of a hunter father that had died in battle, with a mother that had been a high ranking healer, before she had succumbed to a weakness of the heart. Those first years had indeed been wonderful, and when he had received the armor of a novice hunter, he had realized that there had been no other path for him than this one. Compared to his life in Domino, friendless and half-starved, or his silent existence on the mountain, the hard life as a hunter of Battle city was like paradise.

But, after some seventeen years, he'd stopped aging.

For close to a decade, he ignored it. But by the time he was forty, still with the appearance of a teenage brat, he could no longer distance himself from the truth – nor could the people around him.

"You've told some lies, haven't you, Captain Otogi."

The use of his real name didn't quite come as the shock it should have, but Otogi had flinched nevertheless. The First-Captain, the head of Battle city, was often quiet, a woman of silence, but shrewd. She had taught him most of what he knew of hunting, as she had taught the rest of the fourteen captains beneath her. He had never seen her face – always she wore a mask of dark, near-black porcelain, though Otogi could only wonder if it was to hide some facial deformity, or…if it was for some other, disturbing reason. No one knew her name; as First-Captain, no one dared ask for it, though some, in admiration or fear, called her Dragon. She deserved the name – he had seen her fight countless times, and she was truly a royal terror in battle.

Otogi had answered her softly. "I have, First-Captain. Forgive me, First-Captain."

She had inclined her head, the light catching glints of blue in her pale, silvery hair. "There is nothing to forgive. That is the beauty of Battle city. Those that come here live without the shadow of their pasts hanging over their heads. Just so is it with you. I know who you are, and who you have been. More importantly, I know what you are." Her eyes, behind the mask, glittered. "As of today, I am officially proclaiming you my successor. The love you possess for Battle city nearly surpasses my own, and I know that it will last through the long years of your life. Your blood has never defined you, nor will it, and there is not one person in Battle city who would not follow you. May God guide you, Ryuji Otogi."

With Battle city passed into his hands, Otogi had felt the overwhelming weight of responsibility forcefully shoved onto his shoulders. It was something that he had, in reality, never desired – but there was no refusing the First-Captain, especially since she conveniently vanished, without so much of a trace, once she passed her title onto him. Eventually, he grew into the duty, and the stress, that came from leading a city of hunters, and with the years, the First-Captain was proven right: he really did love Battle city, with a love that became only more powerful, as time progressed.

But with the passing years, prophesies swirled out of Domino, foretelling events that Otogi had flat-out refused to acknowledge. The Millennium Items, created in Battle city long before Domino had even existed, were fated to be given to that God-forsaken city – taken from their rightful place. Otogi had scoffed at that; the Millennium Items, so immensely powerful that he had seen vampire nobility bow to their strength, would never be handed to Domino. He hadn't cared if the city of his birth, primitive, judgmental, and unworthy as it was, fell to the vampires. Battle city had been the first hunter-city – and, as long as he ruled, he would not give power to a lesser city.

He hadn't anticipated the filthy, underhanded deceitfulness of Domino. In those days, Otogi had been far too lenient – he had allowed a delegation of Domino hunters full access to Battle city…including the chamber of the Millennium Items. Within hours, the delegation went missing – along with the Items. Had it not been for his captains – all of them firmly believing the prophesies, even if they were angry as well at Domino's audacity – overruling him, Otogi would have given the order that the Items be forcefully retrieved, and Domino be brought to heel, with a show of Battle city's power. His captains had convinced him to leave off of retribution, three of them sealing him into a room until he had calmed – that had been more than eight centuries ago, but Otogi still remembered their irritating insolence.

At times, Otogi wished that the First-Captain hadn't dropped the responsibility of Battle city onto him –but Otogi wouldn't give up the duty, for in all the centuries that he had ruled, he still had yet to see someone deserving of his title. He had always loved Battle city, and he would die before he allowed it to be led by someone unworthy of it. The prophesies had spoken of the day when a hunter, the greatest in a thousand generations, would take Battle city, and use it to destroy the last line of vampire kings. Otogi cared nothing for the prophesies - he would never let some filthy, arrogant upstart from Domino manipulate his people, even if he had to release…_that _side of him.

The white glare of the Millennium Puzzle destroyed his vision, but Otogi didn't need his eyes. He whirled his spear, driving its blade into stone floor of the cavern, and relaxed the hold he held over his blood – and the part of him that he kept hidden, the part that had brought him persecution from the people of Domino in the days of his childhood, ripped free.

Atem would not have Battle city – but death, Otogi would gladly give him.

* * *

The transfer gate required strength of will, and some bit of coaxing, before it decided to cooperate. When it did, Rebecca hardly had time to blink, with Silver Fang managing a little yelp, and then they were abruptly…some place else. Really, she had thought there would be more glowing and earth quaking, maybe another apocalypse-like episode, but the process had been relatively tame. Go figure.

The place they were now was a dark cavern, with the only light emanating from the naturally occurring red crystals in the smooth walls. Dimly, she saw Silver Fang gaze up at her, green eyes shining in the darkness, tall ears pricked. She scowled at him. "What? You're the one with the awesome sense of smell. Lead on."

Those tall ears flicked, but the wolf padded to her side. Rebecca curled her fingers into the thick mane of fur just above his flank, and Silver Fang pushed off, trotting into the shadows.

Other than the soft click of the wolf's claws against the ground, and her own breathing, there was absolutely no sound in the cavern. Rebecca was a little unnerved. The darkness she could handle fine, but the absence of any sort of noise made her uneasy. To fill up the silence, she began talking, half to Silver Fang, and half to herself – mostly about Otogi, and what she would do to him when they found him.

"– a headlock, definitely. Vivian's been teaching me, and that jerk will never expect it." She heard Silver Fang whimper vaguely in response. "Or, maybe I'll just punch him. In the face. Hard."

Both ideas had merit. After Otogi had put her through so much trouble, he deserved the worse punishment possible; Rebecca had the inclination to beat him up first, and then steal his favorite set of dice – and burn them, in front of his nose.

Her vindictive train of thought was interrupted, when they suddenly made an abrupt turn, into a huge, open space, filled with light. Rebecca instinctively narrowed her eyes, but it wasn't much help – her ears were overwhelmed with a sound like a scream, and Silver Fang stiffened beneath her fingers. Nearly blinded by the light, she almost didn't see the shadow that passed close to her face. After a second, she realized that the shadow was a person, and someone she knew…

Anger surged within her, and within moments Rebecca found herself in a fine state of temper. That shadow was Otogi, flying at a person in the center of the cavern, a man surrounded by that blazing light. Though Rebecca had never seen him, she recognized him from the descriptions provided by the mainframe – darkly bronze skin, storm purple eyes, and hair in alternating shades of blonde, crimson, and black. Atem, leader of the Domino hunters; even with her eyes narrowed, she could see that he was badly injured, bleeding profusely from a wound in his side. With a sinking feeling, she knew that Otogi had given him that wound – Otogi's spear was the only weapon capable of shredding the flesh quite like that.

Even worse, that Otogi had possessed the audacity to use _that _form against a hunter…Rebecca was going to throttle him. The man must have lost his mind; they had made a vow – she and Ishizu, along with Otogi – that they would never release the grip on their blood, and use that side of them on anyone that was human. Rebecca didn't know what was going on in that foolish, arrogant mind of Otogi's, but she was going to knock some sense back into him.

"Silver Fang," she breathed. "Interference."

With a snarl, he leapt forward. The wolf tore across the cavern, a blur of silver, swift as a lightning bolt. Rebecca was moving too – at the fastest sprint she could manage.

She wasn't going to make it, but Silver Fang was already between Otogi and Atem, hackles standing upright, teeth bared. For an instant, Rebecca feared that Otogi wouldn't stop; if he killed Silver Fang, she was going to rip him to pieces.

To her relief, Otogi did stop. Rebecca skidded to a halt in front of him a few seconds after, breathing heavily. Pointing an accusing finger – childish, yes, but she was angry – Rebecca glared up at him.

"What do you think you're doing, you stupid moron! Did you forget our promise? Did you forget any sense of morality? You just wait. As soon as I catch my breath, I'm going to thrash you into tomorrow – "

The man just stared impassively at her. The blackened whites of his eyes surrounded irises of glowing, demonic green – suddenly, his iron grey wings were curling around her, and Rebecca shifted nervously.

"Move." His fangs flashed as he spoke, and the word sent a shock of fear down her spine. The inexplicable need to obey him made her tremble – stupid man! He was trying to put her under compulsion. But she wasn't going anywhere; if she and Silver Fang were forced to jump him, then so be it. Rebecca wasn't going to allow him to kill a fellow hunter, especially like this.

"Sorry," she bit out, "but you're not the boss of me. Stand down, First-Captain Otogi."

She had a lot of nerve, commanding the ruler of Battle city – but her Grandpa had always said that she had more courage than common sense. Otogi stood motionless, and for a moment, Rebecca was sure that her words, insolent though they were, had gotten through to him. Slowly, she released the breath she'd been holding; Otogi, even like this, wouldn't hurt her –

Rebecca couldn't help the scream that tore from her lips as Otogi grabbed her by the arm, snatching her up like a rag doll. Her mind blanked in sudden terror, and she only had enough thought to kick out, her foot connecting painfully against his armor, before she was thrown, her body colliding into the cavern wall. Vaguely, she heard Silver Fang snarl, and as she crumbled to the cavern floor, she saw the swift, skewed vision of the wolf rising to take Otogi by the throat. Her brave wolf was back-handed, Otogi's armored arm cracking against Silver Fang's jaw.

She would kill him. Otogi would be dead within the hour – as soon as she got up. That was all she needed to do – just get to her feet. But her legs weren't moving, weren't obeying her.

Everything went black.

* * *

Complete calm rolled over him. Hunters were trained to keep firm hold upon their emotions, but this was different. The Millennium Puzzle was slowly gathering strength, and its power lapped at the edges of his mind, cooling his anger, and suppressing his worry. The chain of the Puzzle burned in his hand, but he couldn't feel it – and there was no anxiety, no fear whatsoever. It was always like this, every time he used the Millennium Items; their power caused a sort of extreme detachment, a desensitizing of all emotion. Where there should have been shock at his opponent – a man that looked completely human, but was not, apparently – there was only…vague interest. Anzu he had suspected of being something less than human, but this hunter – it was a surprise that he wasn't, or it would have been, without the Puzzle's influence.

_The man is a dhampir. _

Dhampir were rare, their existence known only by a few. That this hunter was one, a man fully able to transform at will, served to confirm some of Atem's previous notions of dhampir; it was said that half-bloods were unstable, their forms passing from human to vampire uncontrollably, their power wild and beyond measure. But the green-eyed hunter – Otogi, his name was – had kept his human form, up to this moment, without Atem even once suspecting that he was anything other than mortal. That was the difference between vampires and dhampir – vampires, though they could hide their true forms to some extent, could not completely keep their natures secret; Anzu, though she'd nearly had him fooled, had been unable to suppress fully the beauty of her real form, the otherworldly loveliness of her face. Dhampir were different – either the human aspect was in full control, and they were, for all intents and purposes, mortal, or their vampire half took reign…

There had been a time when Atem had seen a dhampir, trapped on the cusp, neither human nor vampire, but some agonized, horrific creature in-between.

_Mana wasn't following him this time, for which he was extremely grateful. Shaking her today had been difficult – she'd clung to him, completely forsaking the company of Ryou, to complain gratingly about Yugi. His brother had disappeared, and Atem had seen nothing of him, nor had anyone else, despite the fact that it was their sixteenth birthday, and the celebration of it had been something just short of spectacular. Fireworks, dances, performances, with enough food to keep even that bottomless pit Jonouchi happy. But Yugi had been no where to be found; only a single present, a short-bladed knife, worked with a burnished silver guard, had been the only sign of his twin. Atem had known instantly that the gift had been from his brother – Yugi always knew what Atem liked, and while most people tended to give him presents of extravagance, his brother gave him simple things, fully aware that Atem's preferences leaned toward the subtle. Atem fingered the knife now; when he found Yugi, he was going to thank him for the blade, and then let him have it. There could be no excuse great enough for his brother to skip out on their birthday, and leave him to deal with the overly hyper and excited Mana by himself. It had been fortunate for him that the girl was easily distracted – Bakura had had the bad timing to start throwing out challenges for arm-wrestling, and Mana had been the first taker – else, he would have had to chain her to a pole or something._

_Atem slid quietly into the Council anteroom. It was huge and full of shadows; he hated coming here, but he had a feeling that his mother would be somewhere about, and maybe she would know where Yugi had gotten to. Pushing through falls of crimson curtains, he strode into the main chamber. Empty. Atem had half-expected it to be, but it was still a disappointment. He meandered over the vast floor, eyes searching the patches of darkness, but there was no one. Sighing, he made to leave. Maybe Yugi was in one of the battle arenas…_

" – _this had to happen eventually. Another level added to the seal will help, perhaps. We cannot allow him to die – "_

"_He is vital, yes. But how long will he hold to his sanity – "_

"_Dangerous. Perhaps the Head of the Council has the right idea. Killing him would solve many problems."_

_Seemingly out of nowhere, the Council, each of the members in solemn robes of black, appeared, murmuring among themselves. Atem hid behind a tall column, using the shadows to his advantage. One by one, the Council members rose out of the floor; Atem could make out a series of carved stairs, bored into the center of the chamber._

_They remained unaware of his presence, and as they moved away, Atem slid from behind the column, stalking slowly to the stairs. The smooth, dark floor of the Council chamber opened into something like a pit – at the mouth, the stairs spiraled deep beneath the floor of the chamber, illuminated only by the faint glowing of pale blue light. A hidden passage way, buried underneath the Council chamber; Atem had never been told of this. With a quick glance to be sure the Council members weren't returning, he descended slowly down the stairs._

_The blue light grew brighter when he reached the bottom. His eyes adjusted, and he moved forward. There was a sound – barely there, and harsh. It put him instantly on edge; his fingers tightened unconsciously over the hilt of the knife._

_A door, dark and ancient-looking, stood slightly open. Cautiously, with his free hand, Atem pulled it out further, and entered slowly._

_Immediately, he stiffened, stopping short. His mother stood some feet away, her back turned to him. Atem instinctively lowered himself to the ground, allowing the darkness to cover him. Something was wrong here; the floor was inscribed with the intricate pattern of some sort of complex seal – the seal pattern glowed, the source of the blue light. Atem narrowed his eyes. There was also blood on the floor, glistening darkly over the seal._

_His mother's voice was soft – and cruel. "The rest of the Council is in near agreement with me. You should be killed, as quickly as possible. Why shouldn't I let you die here? Tell me."_

_In all of his life, Atem had never heard his mother speak like that. She had always been so kind, so gentle, to him – now there was a malevolence, a hatred, that radiated in her words._

_She shifted slightly, and Atem saw a person, kneeling on the ground in front of her. No, chained to the ground – there were steel manacles around the figure's wrists. Atem inclined his head somewhat; it was difficult to see, but the figure was pale, skin almost as white as a vampire's…_

_He stiffened as realization dawned on him. It _was _a vampire. But what was a vampire doing here, beneath the Council chamber? More importantly, what was his mother doing, talking to one…?_

_The vampire suddenly surged forward, but the chains restricted its movement – wings swept up, feathers reflecting the glow of the seal, arching high despite being firmly chained as well._

_His mother was a short woman, and the vampire, about Atem's height, stood a full head taller than her. The vampire's long hair writhed unnaturally, as though stirred by nonexistent wind, tendrils of it curling around his mother, but otherwise, the vampire made no move to touch her._

"_F-fix the s-seal. This…it w-won't happen again."_

_Atem's felt himself go absolutely cold. That voice…it was…_

_Before he could think of stopping, Atem jerked upright, taking a violent step forward. His gaze focused completely on the vampire's…no, his brother's face. The hair, moving seemingly of its own will, was mostly dark, but with wavy stands of crimson and gold – it shifted in such a way that Atem could see that one eye was still normal, purple and human, but the other…it was like dark liquid blood, the white consumed by red, with the iris reduced to a pale ring of silver._

_It was impossible. That was not his brother. It couldn't be. And yet, Atem knew better – Yugi was his twin, and there was nothing in the world that would allow him to mistake his own brother._

_His mother whispered, "A lie. This will happen again, and you know it. Even if I place another level on the seal, it will happen." Her fingers reached out to touch his brother just beneath the jaw – where her fingertips brushed, veins and artery stood out livid against Yugi's vampire pale skin. "But you are still useful. For now, I will allow you your life."_

_His mother's fingers clenched, and his brother's wings rose, stretching until the chains holding them tautened – but still they strained upward, and for a moment, Atem was sure they would break. But that was nothing compared to his twin's face – Yugi was in agony, the pupil of his human eye dilated to a pinprick, his teeth clenched to hold back a scream. Atem was torn; he didn't understand how his brother could possess even a drop of vampire blood, but that didn't change the truth: Yugi wasn't human. But that didn't make any sense – Atem was in no way connected to vampires; his blood was clean, completely mortal. Yugi, as his twin, should have been the same. That meant that somehow, Yugi was to blame for this – he had done something, played with some sort of unholy power, maybe, and that had changed him, made him into some half-human, half-vampire monster. That had to be it. There was no other explanation…_

_His brother's eyes met his. The human eye, and the glowing vampire eye, both held the same emotion._

_Fear. Absolute, and total fear._

_Yugi saw him, and Atem, in that instant, felt ashamed. More than that – it felt as though he had betrayed his brother, accused him of a crime he hadn't commitedt. He was standing here, in the shadows like a coward, so ready to deal out judgment on his twin, to denounce him for a monster…and his brother was afraid. Not just afraid, but terrified – of him. Atem had no doubt that Yugi was aware of what was running through his mind, the stupid, shameful, condemning thoughts; and that was the reason for his fear. Atem knew then that he had been wrong. Yugi was no monster._

_But Atem was, and a coward, at that._

"_I'm sorry," Atem breathed. He drew back, away from his brother, and his mother. Before he knew it, he was running, up the hidden passage way and out of the Council chamber – away from his brother's eyes._

_Some hours later, Mana eventually found him, sitting in the sands of an empty battle arena. He clutched the hilt of the knife that Yugi had given him, so hard that the guard cut into his palm. Fitting. At least now, he felt a little pain – but his brother had felt more._

_Mana lowered herself quietly into the sand next to him, and for once, was silent for longer than a minute. Finally, she spoke. "You did something wrong, didn't you? First Yugi disappears, then you do – and when I find you, you're moping like a kicked puppy."_

"_I'm an idiot."_

"_That's totally true," Mana agreed – entirely too quickly. He shot her a glare, and she shrugged. "I give credit where it's due. And you've done something stupid, and you know it, too, so I don't see what the problem is."_

_Good old Mana – if he was a kicked puppy, then she would have been the one to do the kicking. "You lift my spirits, Mana. Really, you do."_

"_Sure. Anytime." The girl beamed, smiling brightly before punching him. "Now, tell me what's wrong."_

"_I made a mistake. I ran away from something that I shouldn't have. But I didn't know what to do – I still don't. Some leader I am already."_

"_Hmm." _

"_I let someone down – and the thing is, he would never have done the same thing to me. If the roles were reversed, he would have stayed, he would have helped me. He wouldn't have…hated me, like I had." The knife dug deeper into his skin. "I have to be stronger."_

_Mana put a gentle hand over his – and pried the knife from his fingers. "You're not perfect, you know. And I'm sure this person has already forgiven you. A good leader makes mistakes, and learns from them. If it makes you feel better, I can make a vow with you."_

_Atem blinked at her. Mana was a few years younger than him – thirteen, or so – but still getting a little old for making pinky swears and such. "A vow…?" He asked, voice skeptical. _

"_Yes." Her hand tightened over his. "How about we swear to never turn our backs again, to stand and fight, and protect everyone past the last breath we have in our lungs. How's that?"_

_Atem tilted his head. "I swear," he said seriously._

"_I swear," Mana echoed._

"_What are you two doing?"_

_Across the sand of the battle arena stood his brother. For a second, Atem couldn't speak – he was caught in the memory, with those two mismatched, horrified eyes still staring at him, stricken with fear. But his brother looked completely normal now; his eyes were both purple, his hair short and spiky again. Mana leapt up, tearing across the arena to jump him – Yugi winced, but let her attack him, the girl constricting him in a hug like a python. Atem shook his head. Mana was half in love with Yugi, and Atem couldn't help but see that as a good thing; better to have the girl stalking his brother, or Ryou, than him._

"_I missed you," Mana said frankly, closing her eyes in contentment. Yugi sighed, but held her, like the gangly, spoiled child that she was. Yugi indulged her entirely too much._

_Yugi's gaze met Atem's – and he realized, with mind-numbing relief, that his twin's eyes were clear, devoid of pain, without any sign that he remembered what had happened beneath the Council chamber._

"_We were making vows," Atem said slowly. Yugi grinned at him stupidly._

"_You two are getting married?" His brother laughed, and Atem half wanted to chuck something at him._

"_No." Atem's voice was curt._

"_He's been sulking, Yugi," Mana murmured sleepily. "I would never marry a sulky puppy like him."_

_Atem scowled. Mana was an utter brat, but at least Yugi was smiling. "If you say so, Mana." His brother's eyes sharpened. "Everything okay, Atem?"_

"_Everything's fine." And it would be. Atem would never run again – never, even if it killed him._

_He would not let his brother down a second time. _

Releasing a slow, measured breath, Atem forced back the memory. That day had taught him numerous things – but most especially, how little he actually knew. The years following, he gathered more information, and learned that his brother was a dhampir, that half that was vampire sealed by their mother. His mother had not been forthcoming with the truth, when Atem had confronted her, but bit by bit she had given it to him. Yugi was just one in a long line of dhampir; hunters had mixed blood with vampires since the beginning, though the result only rarely ended with a child half-vampire. Through the centuries, hunters had kept the secret of their interbreeding with vampires well hidden, though it helped that the children born of hunter and vampire were usually human…though with vampire-like strength and speed. But dhampir only occurred every few generations; in the old records of Domino, those few were told to have been locked away, contained, in order to prevent the repercussions of the inevitable madness that came upon them. It had been a wonder that those dhampir hadn't been killed – considering the hatred ingrained in Domino for nearly anything vampire-related, Atem had been surprised that they had been allowed to live. But dhampir were too powerful to kill off-hand – even if they were doomed to insanity, condemned by their own blood to live out their days caught between their vampire and human natures.

His mother had said that Atem had been the lucky one. Often, a strain of vampire blood was revealed through the advent of twins – one sibling would be born with some of the physical qualities of a vampire, while the other was untouched, and fully human. It had happened with Ryou and Bakura – Bakura, though he was a hunter of immense strength, had been born without any attributes of a vampire. But Ryou, with his overly pale white skin, had a slight, vampire-like aversion to sunlight. Atem had hardly believed his mother when she'd made the comparison between the two – Ryou might get sunburned easily, but that didn't mean that he possessed vampire blood, at least, not to Atem – but he couldn't deny the truth of himself and his brother. Atem was fully human, but Yugi had been born a dhampir; the whole twins explanation made sense, when put in that light.

In the end, Atem had had to come to terms with the fact that his brother wasn't human. Difficult, considering that he despised vampires – the hatred that burned in his heart for them was something that he could not easily eradicate. But his brother was still his brother, one way or another; dhampir or not, he could never hate Yugi.

The knowledge that his twin would go insane, however, had weighed on him for years. Atem had always acted as though he was ignorant of Yugi's mixed blood, but he'd kept an eye out for his brother, especially whenever the man was sent out on obscure missions by the Council, he would send a hunter to tail him; it didn't always work, since the Council constantly hindered him, and Yugi, more often than not, was too canny for anyone to tail him long. But Atem, as he was forced further into the role of leader by the Council, kept careful tags on his brother – and prayed, constantly, for some way to keep him from losing his sanity.

This man…Otogi, apparently had some grip on his vampire side. Atem shifted slightly, coldly analyzing the transformed hunter. He had not expected the wolf or the girl to stand between him and his opponent, no more than he'd anticipated Otogi's violent reaction. Vaguely, over the haze of the Puzzle's power, he was aware of the girl crumbling, losing consciousness, the silver wolf making soft, anguished whimpering sounds. He knew, as soon as he relinquished the strength of the Puzzle, he would feel pain, and regret, at not stopping the man before he had hurt them. But there had been no choice – he'd had to wait, while the Puzzle consolidated its power. Now the Puzzle was at the pinnacle of its strength, its power seething; it was ready.

Otogi advanced, iron grey wings bristling, eyes glowing even in the white light of the Puzzle. A hand flew out, long black talons poised for Atem's throat.

Atem was unfazed. "Mind Shatter."

The Eye of Horus blazed over Otogi's forehead, and the dhampir stopped short, curved claws inches from Atem's neck. The man suddenly started tearing at his hair, eyes clenching shut; then the screams began – screams that Atem felt even with the Puzzle's power numbing him.

For an instant, Otogi reminded him of his brother, and Atem hated himself for what he had done. Then the screams subsided, the hunter falling to his knees, trembling uncontrollably, eyes utterly blank.

Even after everything that had happened, Atem felt pity for the man.

"Forgive me," he whispered, letting the Puzzle drop to his side.

A voice, melodious and soft, answered him. "Such a lovely man. You certainly need no forgiveness from me."

Atem's gaze snapped away from Otogi. Next to him, a woman with violet eyes, and an indescribably beautiful face, stood staring at him. Atem knew her instantly: Cynthia, wife of Pegasus, queen of vampires.

Her slender fingers closed over his neck. "You belong to me now, my dear hunter-prince."

Violet eyes gleamed, unfathomable and hypnotic – and he knew she spoke the truth.

* * *

Mahaado moved, dodging jerkily, as the body of a captain thudded into the place he'd been standing a split second ago. The man was instantly incapacitated – Mahaado didn't even glance at him, but he recognized the sound of bones cracking all too well, and knew that if the man wasn't dead, he was close enough to it. Mahaado, though it pained him, couldn't help the man; he didn't even have time to glance at the captain's face, and identify him. He forced himself to keep moving, swinging his staff to deflect the vampire's sword. It worked, for a moment – the steel blade met the smooth haft of his own weapon, instead of sinking into the side of his neck. But that small victory was short lived, as the sword cleaved cleanly through his staff; Mahaado dropped to a crouch, evading the second swing of the sword, whirling the two new halves of his weapon. Inwardly, he suppressed a sigh. This was going to be difficult – with his staff broken, his already slim chances were growing steadily slimmer.

Leaping back, Mahaado considered what options were still available to him. There were three captains, besides him, still capable of fighting – four, out of fourteen, and if Mahaado didn't think of something quick, that number would be whittled down to three.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Vivian speeding towards the vampire, the glitter of her twin swords aimed at the vampire's heart. Immediately, Mahaado knew what she intended – a feint, meant to draw the vampire's attention away from him. He wouldn't waste the opportunity; shifting in midair, he flung one of the halves of his staff, with enough force to send it flying like an arrow, in the vampire's direction.

Everything went downhill from there.

The vampire turned his neck, the subtlest of motions, and his piece of staff missed by mere threads of an inch. Vivian's swords were parried by the vampire's own, and in quick succession, he disarmed her, the steel blades of her twin swords clattering to the ground. Mahaado didn't understand it – he'd never seen anyone rid Vivian of her swords. Not even Otogi, strong as he was, could manage it.

As soon as Mahaado's feet touched the ground, he was moving again, tearing across the floors of the healing sector. He tossed away the useless half of his staff, and reached up for the thinner, shorter one strapped at his back. He had not wanted to bring this one into play – it was dangerous, even to him, and he was unsure if he was strong enough yet to control its power. But he didn't have time to worry about that now; Vivian was in trouble, and even if she gave him grief over it later, he was going to give her his help – she would die, otherwise.

The idiot woman was still engaging the vampire, in hand to hand combat, moving so fast that she somehow managed to evade that sword. She rose into a handstand, legs kicking out, one foot slamming into the side of the vampire's blade, turning it, with the other scoring a hit on the vampire's shoulder. The shoulder blow forced the vampire back a step, and Vivian suddenly swung her body low, sweeping out with a leg to trip him. But the vampire kept his footing, moving just as quickly as Vivian – no, faster. Vivian rose, vaulting into the air for another kick, but the vampire's hand blurred, and caught her beneath the chin.

Seconds. It all occurred in mere seconds, and Mahaado knew that he wouldn't make it in time. Quickly, he made a decision – one that he knew was incredibly foolish, and stupidly reckless, but there was no choice. His fingers curled more firmly around his staff, tightening, and the weapon reacted; electricity sparked – black, negative energy that brought him a fresh shudder of unease – curving over the staff's glistening steel. Mahaado leveled the weapon's point to the floor. The staff's tip barely brushed it, but suddenly the floor erupted in waves of black lightning, arcing in the vampire's direction. Mahaado prayed for luck – lots of luck. If that hit Vivian…

The vampire raised his wings. Before Mahaado could blink, both the vampire and Vivian were airborne, the staff's dark lightning tearing beneath them, colliding fruitlessly into the sector wall with an explosion loud enough to jolt Mahaado's ears. The vampire circled once, before riding the wind kicked up by the explosion, and soaring to some higher level of the healing sector. Smoke rose suddenly, dark and blinding, obscuring Mahaado's sight.

Ishizu was going to kill him. If they somehow managed to survive the vampire, she was going to murder the lot of them for destroying the healing sector. But he was glad that it had been the wall, and not Vivian; he hadn't known that even that small attack from the staff would be so powerful. But it was his only weapon now, and…

Mahaado's eyes narrowed. The smoke was lifting, and he could see flashes of deep red, and glinting bronze – hunter armor.

"Honda, Miho," he said, picking them out of the smoke's gloom. "Have you prepared it?"

Honda nodded, limping toward him, face grim. "Everything's ready."

Miho, trailing behind Honda, met Mahaado's eyes. Her hands moved into a series of signs, fingers twisting frantically. Mahaado shook his head, responding with a quick hand sign of his own – she preferred hunter hand-signals over speaking, and could in turn interpret them better than the rest of Otogi's captains, but what she was asking him to do…no. He wouldn't call for a retreat. Either the vampire fell, or they would die trying to kill him; it was their duty, part of the oath they had given, when they had become captains under Otogi – to fight vampires, and kill them, or meet death.

And he wouldn't leave Vivian in the hands of a monster.

"Go," Mahaado whispered. Miho shut her eyes for a moment, and then set off into the smoke. Honda stared at him, eyes weighing silently, before following Miho, with his slow limp.

Mahaado couldn't blame their quiet reluctance. Duty was one thing, but this was the first time so many captains had fallen – and all at once. Only four still capable of fighting, with one in the vampire's grasp…

Bad odds, and they weren't getting any better.

* * *

Vivian liked long hair on men. She'd never told Mahaado that – he was the reason why she was such a freak over it, and there was no need for the man to know that she was keen on him. It worked much more to her advantage to allow him to believe that she hated his guts, and was irritated by his very presence. But if he ever caught her staring at his hair like an airheaded school girl, as she usually did, he would know differently; of course, that was considering she survived this.

The vampire's hair was incredibly long, and it moved, seemingly of its own accord. Her gaze followed its movement, watching how the tendrils twisted and curled – anything, to avoid looking into the vampire's eyes. His fingers, beneath her jaw, suddenly forced her chin up.

She quickly closed her eyes, as tight as she could manage. Compulsion was a power common to all vampires, though it came in varying degrees. Vivian had faced vampires capable of only changing the smallest, most fleeting of thoughts – if a person turned slightly to the right, or left, or if one decided to eat cereal over oatmeal for breakfast. There were others, though, powerful enough to take full control of a person's mind. This vampire had already done so – but with not just one, but half a dozen healers. Vivian swallowed slowly.

Without her swords, Vivian couldn't do much damage, and she was too close to the vampire to fight him with her own hands – it wouldn't be effective, and if she waited, bided her time, she might have a chance. As long as she kept her eyes shut, he couldn't force his compulsion over her; he could hurt her, tear her limb from limb, but her mind would remain her own.

There was still Mahaado, and Miho and Honda – with them remaining, perhaps the vampire would be taken down. The healing sector, though it had never before seen combat, was the perfect place to set a trap; and they had done so, before engaging the vampire. It had been a precaution, which Miho had suggested, that they lay one, even though none of them had suspected that the vampire would be…so powerful. Vivian had laughed at Miho then – the woman had scowled back, and told her off with a sharp hand sign – but now she was overwhelmingly glad that they had listened to Miho. Each of them, as Battle city's captains, had fought hundreds of vampires, sacrificing long years in the name of endless training, and yet, it hadn't been enough.

_So…you've set a trap…_

Vivian's eyes snapped open in shock. A voice in her head – low, and gentle, with an edge to it that spoke of…madness. The vampire gazed back at her, head tilted slightly, and smiled. He drew her close, his forehead brushing against hers.

_You want to kill me, Vivian? Are you sure?_

He knew her name. A mind-reading vampire, that was a first. Dangerous, so dangerous, but his eyes, they were soothing. There was nothing remotely human about them – the whites were darkly red, with the irises glowing white-hot, burning in that sea of crimson. She felt a shiver of absolute, instinctual fear, but it was quickly overtaken by a feeling of calm. She was safe. He was a vampire, but he wouldn't hurt her…and now, she didn't want him dead.

"N-no," she said. "I don't want that."

His eyes were so mesmerizing, and she was at ease, her every anxiety leaking out of her. Why had she even worried in the first place? Everything was fine…

The vampire's irises seared now, the silver intensifying into bluish-white. Vivian longed to close her own eyes – but she couldn't, because she felt the vampire's need for her to keep them open. It was what he wanted, so she refused to close them.

_The other hunters will come for you. But not yet. I'm so hungry, Vivian. So hungry…_

The skin beneath his eyes wrinkled in a snarl, and his lips lifted away from his fangs. Wordlessly, she removed the plates of armor from her arm, the violet metal falling to the floor. Gingerly, he took her wrist, his burning eyes tracing the veins beneath her skin.

Vivian could help the scream that tore from her, his fangs driving in so deep into her arm she felt them graze bone. And still they went deeper, his violent hunger forcing them past her veins and arteries; it was agony, and she couldn't stop screaming, not even when he suddenly released her, pushing her away from him.

She clutched at her arm, sliding to the ground, and curling into herself. The pain was still unbearable, and she shook, mind blanking with the force of the agony.

When she came back to herself, the pain ebbing slightly, she saw the vampire, on his knees, trembling uncontrollably. His wings curved around him, encircling him, his hands clawing at the floor.

_More blood. I need more blood…but I can't…I can't…_

He started screaming, the sound of it was somehow worse than her own. It was terrifying, and Vivian didn't know what to do – her instincts told her to run, but she couldn't move. There was still that feeling of safety, and the desire to comply with his wishes was so strong she was rendered paralyzed.

His head snapped up, and his eyes…they had blackened, the whole of the eye dark as obsidian. The veins of his throat stood out starkly against his skin, glowing as though on fire, and he reached up, plunging his talons desperately into the side of his neck.

"Run," he commanded aloud, his voice harsh. "Run!"

Vivian slid shakily to her feet, stumbling only once as she obeyed.


	7. The Dark of Light

Erm, this has been a long time in coming. I actually really hate this chapter, but I recently had to come to the realization that my writing will never be as I desire it. Ah, me. Anyway, though I'm unhappy with it, I'll post it. Thank you again to all of you that have reviewed - you have no idea how much you've encouraged me.

* * *

She was alive, still. Breathing in, she felt her chest tighten, air burning down her throat. Her eyes opened slowly – there was sunlight, gold against her lashes. It was around noon, maybe, but she could only make out silence. Sunlight and silence. She couldn't really remember much of anything, but she felt warm. Half closing her eyes, she decided that being warm was good enough. She hadn't been warm for so long...

Her eyes snapped fully open again, a hiss sliding from her lips. There was sunlight, yes, but also something else – someone else. She saw a tall figure, sitting only a few feet away from her. She still had enough sense of mind to recognize that the figure wasn't mortal, not with that incredibly white skin, and eyes that were some strange sort of metallic blue. A vampire, and one so close to her – how could that have happened? Vampires were a danger, and for years she had lived in solitude, carefully distancing herself from the rest of her kind, to avoid that danger. Her body, though it was sluggish and disconcertingly numb, tensed, wings opening slightly. The figure – a woman – had yet to make a move, and those metallic eyes watched her emotionlessly.

The woman stood, immensely graceful, silvery hair gleaming in the sun. The vampire moved slowly, deliberately, in her direction, until she was close, too close. Her wings matched her eyes – the feathers were like metal, glinting blue and silver where the sun touched them.

Those wings lowered, the tips brushing the floor, the vampire suddenly assuming a hesitant, non-threatening pose. "Lady Anzu," the woman said, her voice soft. "What do you remember?"

Anzu. So that was her name. She had forgotten it, and so many other things. Taking a breath, she tried to answer. "I don't...recall much. Have we met before?" She wondered about that. The vampire woman didn't seem familiar, but she had known her name.

"No," the woman replied in that soft voice, metallic eyes sharp. "We haven't. But I knew your mother, and your father. And they knew me by the name Kisara."

"Oh." Anzu could dimly remember her parents. They were always so gentle with her, even if they sometimes treated her like a child. "My parents know you? Do you know where they are?" Her memory was a haze, and she had never felt like this before – lost in a sense, and almost...misplaced.

Kisara's eyes were suddenly filled with a look of intense regret, and Anzu nearly wished she hadn't even asked. "I'm afraid I don't." Anzu sighed, releasing a breath, and nodded. Kisara drew even closer, sitting unceremoniously at the end of the bed. Blinking slowly, Anzu sat up. She hadn't even noticed that she was in a bed, with dark, glistening sheets. Looking to Kisara, she saw the woman glance at her, with a face that was solemn and strangely sad. Those metallic eyes lowered, then closed, the woman turning abruptly away from her. "It seems that you've forgotten a great deal. You're welcome to stay here, until your memory returns."

Anzu was grateful for that; there was a sense of gentleness around Kisara, and it put Anzu at ease. It looked as though she would be safe, even in the presence of another vampire – she supposed that if Kisara had intended to kill her, she would have been dead by now. There wasn't much choice in the matter anyway – Anzu only had vague bits of memory left, and she had no idea where her home was…or if she even had a home.

"Thank you…Kisara." The name seemed familiar, once she said it. But there was nothing, other than a small shiver of fear, that came when she tried to force herself to remember.

Kisara nodded slightly, then stood again. "You should rest for now. I'll return soon."

Anzu watched her go, a little apprehensive. Opening her wings, she stretched them, almost surprised to see that they were deeply blue, and so long that they spilled over the sides of the bed. She really couldn't remember anything – and that made her afraid.

She drew her knees up, curling in on herself. The sunlight was brighter, more white than gold, and when it touched her skin, it burned, but only slightly. A Dawnrunner. She was a Dawnrunner, and maybe Kisara was one too, walking in the sun like that. Anzu took a slow breath. Dawnrunners could withstand daylight, where other vampires couldn't – and were despised for it, to the point of persecution. Anzu suddenly recalled disliking the word, and the image of someone…someone human, formed in her mind.

_"You're a Dawnrunner."_

A mortal, voice deep and emotionless, had called her that, once. And he had hated her. She remembered his eyes, the color of a storm, burning every time their gazes met.

Anzu whispered his name. "Yugi."

* * *

He could smell fear, clinging to the air. It was heady, intoxicating, and every moment breathing it in was pleasure. His hand unclenched, talons slick with crimson blood. His own blood; he could remember driving them into the side of his neck, desperate to stop himself from…killing. The hunter, Vivian, had escaped as a result, running in this direction, into this deep darkness. He didn't understand why he had let her go – her blood had been so sweet, and he had only had a taste, but he needed more, so much more. The presence of more hunters weighed on his senses, and he could hear, in the distance, the heartbeats of other humans. His hunger surged, mind going white with the pain of it; his wings opened, spreading in an involuntary reaction to the agony. That part of him – the weak, insignificant human part – had stopped him from taking every drop of Vivian's blood. But the mounting pain was smothering his human side, silencing it completely – and when he found Vivian again, it would not interfere like it had before. He moved forward, intent on that scent of fear. She was close, as were the other hunters…two others, the sound of their blood pulsing in their veins muted, and yet loud enough that he was aware of their approaching proximity.

_There._

Glittering armor flashed, and Vivian melted from the grey shadows. She moved like a cat, cautious and hesitant, and yet steady with the liquid grace of a hunter. He could see her arteries clearly even in darkness – they blazed, red and glowing. He drew a breath, the delicate traceries of blood against her skin hypnotic, all consuming. It would only take a moment, a split second, to reach her. But not yet. Vivian wasn't alone – two other hunters materialized at her side, flanking her. If he struck now, he would have to contend with them. Tension rose within him, but he forced himself to calm. Vivian's mind had betrayed the knowledge of a trap, and he could not afford to be careless. He would have to wait, even against the pain. The hunters would make a mistake, and then…

His fangs tore from his gums, lengthening with the excruciating, unbearable hunger. He would kill them, all of them, and this pain…it would finally end.

The two additional hunters moved like Vivian, with cool, possessed caution, sliding in and out of the darkness, disappearing every so often. But he didn't lose track of them – the sound of their breathing, and the thrum of their hearts, was so easy to follow. He trailed them, suppressing the urgency of his hunger, allowing the shadows to cover his presence. Vivian padded only a few feet away from him, and the other two hunters – one of them a man, tall, and hefting an elaborate shield, limping alongside the other, a woman with pale ribbons worked in her hair – they were so close, almost shoulder to shoulder with him, though they had yet to realize it. He adjusted easily to the pattern of their movement, watching the wary shifting of their eyes, drifting back slightly whenever they slowed. They were protecting her, it seemed, constantly sweeping their gazes out into the darkness, never moving more than a few feet from her side. In another minute, it wouldn't matter if they were inches from her – he would kill all three of them, one after the other…

Vivian suddenly stopped, inclining her head slightly to the left. "Miho, Honda. I didn't thank you."

The man – Honda – laughed lowly, reaching out to clap a hand against the back of the woman with the ribbons in her hair. "What else were we supposed to do? Leave you to die?" The woman scowled at him, but said nothing, her hand taking hold of one of the ribbons hanging from just beneath her ear.

Vivian heaved a sigh. "That's exactly what you were supposed to do. Coming back for me was beyond stupid." She sighed again – then her eyes suddenly snapped in his direction, piercing even in darkness. "But I'm glad you did."

The woman, Miho, pulled the ribbon from her hair, and as it fell, she turned, leveling a crossbow at his heart. He flung his wings open instinctively, but the bolt of a long, steel-headed arrow found him – it missed his heart, but still sunk deep into his side, sliding between his ribs. His wings entered the downbeat, driving up enough wind to force the three hunters back a step. The shock of his prey turning against him, attacking when he'd least expected it, caught him completely off guard – but he could not ignore the hunger. The pain of this new wound was nothing, compared to the agony of his thirst; he was past caring about anything, other than taking their blood.

Miho's ribbon touched the ground, and the floor exploded, beams of searing light arching upwards from the ribbon, blindingly bright and intricate, interlocking to form…a cage. He blurred into motion, wings bearing him out of range of the fiery beams of light, a hiss of frustration escaping him. Vivian's mind, when he'd captured her, had given him the knowledge of a trap, but not the nature of it – the beams followed him, twisting and coiling like serpents, chasing him as he ascended higher. When he could rise no further, he turned, rolling on his back, wings beneath him, to avoid one of the strands of light reaching for him. It overshot, missing him by a hair, but he felt the heat of it, like a bolt of lightning, sear the skin of his chest. If even one of those beams actually touched him…

He half-closed his wings, diving, and the air screamed as those threads of light dove with him. He angled himself toward a wall, gathering speed, falling so fast that he barely had time to tilt his wings, and swerve, feathers just brushing the wall's surface, instead of colliding fully with it. Behind him, he heard the beams crash into the wall, the wind of the explosion tearing at his hair.

Checking his speed, his wings flared fully open, and he slowed, circling, and cast a quick glance backwards. The beams of light had nearly destroyed the wall, rupturing its silver surface, and leaving something like a red-hot, smoldering scar in its wake. But the beams were spent, their light fading suddenly into nothing.

He landed, wings furling, a trail of black blood rolling from the arrow in his side. His fingers wrapped around the arrow, and he tore it out, the arrow's steel, serrated point dripping darkly with more of his blood. He tossed the arrow away from him, unfazed by the shock of pain that erupted from the wound.

A spasm passed through his fingers, his hand shaking. His entire body was trembling, a surge of weakness accompanying the pain.

The hunters had escaped, leaving only the trace of their scent behind. They hadn't gone far; he could still sense them, hear the echo of their beating hearts, as they ran. But they no longer interested him.

The floor lay in ruin, torn by the force of Miho's attack, her ribbon coiled at its center. A hunter, dark haired and wearing almost equally dark armor, emerged from the shadows, and idly reached for the ribbon. Vaguely, he could recall this hunter – _Mahaado_, his mind supplied – and his fingers clenched. Mahaado smiled at him grimly, rubbing the fabric of the ribbon between his fingertips.

"Seems like Miho's ribbon failed to trap you," the hunter said, voice conversational. "Not that it was meant to. Did you really think that we would only set one trap for you?" Mahaado's grim smile transformed into a snarl. "No, vampire. We aren't so stupid as that."

He barely heard the hunter's words – the urge to kill rose violently inside of him, destroying nearly every controlled thought he possessed. His wings opened, and in an instant, he was moving, the image of Mahaado's blood spilling all over the floor filling his mind.

Mahaado gave a near imperceptible shake of his head, and then whirled the thin, steel staff at his side. The staff suddenly swung forward, a bolt of black electricity ripping from it – it came at him fast, the air rippling with its power, and he almost didn't avoid it. He managed to blur out of the way, but Mahaado's staff, surging out of nowhere, suddenly caught him, and he took a blow to the shoulder. The hunter had moved inside of his guard without him noticing, striking with the steel length of his staff. The first attack had served to distract him, for the hunter fully intended to fight him within close-range – he could read it in Mahaado's eyes, full of intensity and hatred, and he knew that the man wanted nothing more than to kill him face to face, with as little distance between them as possible. Parrying with the blade of the sword – it had never once left his hand, the feel of the hilt within his fingers so familiar, that he'd kept it in his grip, without even realizing it – he forced the staff back, blocking strike after strike. But Mahaado was moving faster, the staff a whirlwind of incredible force in the hunter's hand, sparks flying whenever their weapons met. He began to give ground, Mahaado forcing him back, and within moments, he was suddenly he was on the defensive. Swinging the sword in an arc, he kept the hunter from slamming the staff into his throat, but Mahaado took advantage of an opening – and the staff found the bleeding wound at his side. White, searing pain erupted behind his eyes, and nearly took him down.

Quickly, he swept a wing between him and Mahaado, using it to block the man's next blow. His wing went numb, the muscles rendered immediately useless from the staff's strike, but it gave him a chance – and he took it. He raked out with his hand, talons rending into the armor of Mahaado's wrist…where the metal was weakest. He felt the man's tendons tear, the hunter's eyes widening, then narrowing. The staff suddenly released a wave of negative energy, and there was no dodging it – the power of it crashed over him, forcing him back, and for a long, indescribable time, he felt nothing but the cold burn of the attack, threatening to overtake him.

He found the strength to swing the sword, and the blade sliced through the tide of black electricity, dividing the flow of it in half. He drew a breath, his body tensing instinctively.

"You just won't die, will you, vampire?" Dust was rising from the wind of the attack, half obscuring his sight of the hunter, but he saw Mahaado moving forward, the man's eyes burning. "But then, that means that I won't have to hold back any longer."

The hunter now hefted the staff in his left hand, the right hanging limply at his side, bleeding from the wrist. But Mahaado looked as comfortable whirling the staff in his left hand as his right, the movement of the weapon seamless within his fingers. The staff spun, blurring, as the hunter twisted, moving stiffly in a sort of dance, the air around him suddenly sparking with dark tendrils of electricity.

"Have you noticed it yet, vampire? This is the highest part of the healing sector." The hunter's dance slowed, his dark eyes reflecting the negative energy of the staff, face emotionless. "Vivian and the others led you here, but I am the one who gets to finish you."

Mahaado stopped, body dipping gracefully into a crouch, the staff held diagonally between two of his fingers. "This is where you die."

His body tensed more, and he angled the sword in front of him, watching the minute tremors that racked the hunter's frame. The man shook, but not with weakness – Mahaado was holding himself back, forcing his body to remain motionless, but his muscles were shivering with anticipation. Full blown bolts of black electricity, emanating from the staff, crackled in a dark frenzy around the man.

A whisper passed from Mahaado's lips. "One."

Air tore without warning from his lungs, and he staggered, his fingers losing their grip over the sword. The world tilted, and he fought to keep his balance.

Mahaado remained motionless, his eyes narrowing. "Two."

His wings flung open, an inexplicable feeling blinding him, taking him to his knees.

"Three."

The voice of the hunter was distant. The hilt of the sword fell from his fingers, and there was something…a metallic taste, seeping into his mouth. Blood coating his tongue, but it was his own. He swallowed, but there was too much of it – he was choking.

He didn't understand what was happening, but he was numb, pain, and even the crippling, consuming hunger, simply gone. His eyes still stayed fixed on the hunter, but the man was little more than a shadow, his vision blurring and darkening with each passing second.

The shadow of the hunter moved, surging suddenly forward, but he could do nothing. His body wouldn't respond, and he couldn't draw a breath.

_Get up._

Close. Mahaado was almost on top of him, preparing for the killing stroke. But even if he moved now, it would be too late.

_ Get up or die. _

He managed to spread his wings. His own body seemed suddenly alien to him, and there was a slow disconnect. A memory slid abruptly into his mind, and he remembered training, learning the method of wielding a sword, growing accustomed to wearing armor, fighting with the weight of armor-metal and the heavy heft of a sword blade. His eyes slid closed. The feel of moving through the stances of the sword, swift despite the strain brought upon by the metal plates of armor, always grounded, constantly focused, was the essence, the soul of a hunter.

He opened his eyes, and he could see the gleam of Mahaado's deeply purple armor, color suddenly bleeding into his vision. A moment of shear clarity struck him – and the numb, shivering weakness dissipated. He stood, fully aware of himself, no longer overtaken by the desperate hunger for blood; the hunger still existed, but he pushed it away, and it submitted. It dawned on him, then, a little of what had happened – the power of Mahaado's staff permeated every inch of this place, an oppressive force that infused the very air. It felt similar to the seal, and he realized that black lightning of the staff possessed the same qualities…it was suppressing his vampire blood, just as the seal had before its removal, enabling him to regain control.

And he remembered. _I am a hunter._

He caught Mahaado's staff, using a hand to guide it off target, and shoved a fist into the man's stomach. He heard the hunter cough, and felt him shudder, then kicked Mahaado's legs from under him.

Mahaado's fingers never released the staff as he fell – they tightened, the man's knuckles going white, his body tensing. Yugi couldn't take the chance that Mahaado would attack him again – he slammed a foot over the staff, and stabbed down with his index and middle fingers, striking the place where neck met spine. Mahaado collapsed completely, temporarily paralyzed.

He could still speak, though, his voice a strained whisper. "You…how did you do this, vampire? Why do you look – "

His wings settled back beneath his spine, talons retracting, melting into his fingers. "Human?" Yugi supplied lowly. "Because I _am_ human."

* * *

Her fingers traced the screen – no, not really a screen, but more of a hologram, really. But it felt like a screen, smooth and cool against her fingertips, and blazing blue and white light suddenly sprang up at her touch. Rebecca flinched back, unprepared, swallowing a gasp of shock. The technology here was even more advanced than Battle city's – slowly, the blue and white light intermingled, and wrote complicated lines of data, faster than her eyes could follow. She frowned, wearily pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose, and decided that this, perhaps, wasn't the best course of action – breaking into Kisara's internal records was proving far too difficult, and she was still no closer to finding Otogi's location than she had been hours before, when she'd first started.

She would have to ask Kisara herself, though she knew that would be an exercise in futility; there was absolutely no way Kisara would tell her, not even if she begged her. Rebecca had already tried begging, and it had been useless – Kisara, in that kind manner of hers, had gently ordered her back to bed. But there was no one else that knew of the whereabouts of Otogi, and Rebecca was growing desperate.

Silver Fang whimpered at her side, and she absently combed her hand through his fur, tapping a fingertip against her chin. There was one person, other than Kisara, who might be of some help. It would take some convincing, some cajoling, on her part, but…

"You're not supposed to be in here, Rebecca."

She screamed, falling over Silver Fang's back in shear panic. Her wolf released a plaintive yelp, before whimpering again. Bright spots flashed in front of her vision, and she realized that Silver Fang was something of a coward, when it suited him. _Useless Mutt._

Darkly blue eyes gazed down at her, and Rebecca instantly relaxed, breathing a sigh of overwhelming relief. "Don't do that, please. You nearly gave me a heart attack."

Those dark eyes stared at her solemnly. "Kisara asked me to find you."

"Well, here I am, Anzu. Mission complete, huh?" she hissed sarcastically.

Anzu gave her a slight smile. "Silver Fang," she said softly, voice low. The wolf suddenly moved, and Rebecca's legs, which had been dangling over his back, fell to the floor with a jolt.

She winced. "Oww…"

"You should be in bed."

Rolling painfully to her feet, Rebecca scowled. "Yeah, yeah, I know. But there are things I have to do first…"

"Like finding Otogi?"

Rebecca's head snapped up, her eyes widening. "How do you know?"

Anzu continued to level her with that dark-eyed stare, her vampire white skin gleaming in the grey darkness. "Anyone with two eyes can see. And I'm not an idiot, Rebecca."

Rebecca sighed again – this time, with annoyance. That this woman, a pure-blooded vampire, had become her friend, still surprised her on some level; it was an easy-going friendship, with Anzu constantly asking questions, and Rebecca hesitantly supplying answers. It was still odd, though, having such a close relationship with a vampire, even if Anzu was exceedingly nice – when she wasn't forcibly dragging Rebecca back to bed – and genuinely calm. Kisara had said little about Anzu, when Rebecca had asked for some details about the woman, but she had mentioned that Anzu was in some way connected to Atem. That had stoked Rebecca's interest – a vampire, somehow in league with the leader of the Domino hunters…but Anzu didn't remember much of anything, her memory almost completely wiped out. Sometimes, it made Rebecca a little afraid; Anzu was gentle now, but if she regained her entire memory, would she stay that way? With the exception of Kisara, full-blooded vampires were not known for their mercy, or kindness – they were creatures of cruelty, with no thought of humans other than that of prey.

Her whimpering, idiot wolf padded to Anzu's side, tail wagging, and pushed his massive head beneath her fingers. Anzu obliged him, her long, graceful fingers trailing down the wolf's jaw.

_Little traitor, _Rebecca thought, ungenerously. But it put her at ease, seeing Silver Fang brush against Anzu like some attention hungry puppy; the wolf had never warmed to anyone else besides Rebecca, but she was pretty sure that Silver Fang was already half in love with Anzu. It gave her hope; maybe, when Anzu regained her memory, she would still be the same person – Rebecca certainly hoped so, because _this_ Anzu was an awesome friend.

"So…" Rebecca said off-handedly, "will you help me?"

The vampire blinked, inclining her head slightly. "What makes you think I know where Otogi is? I don't really even know him, except through you."

Rebecca sighed again, considering the truth of that; Anzu wouldn't be much help in finding Otogi, since there was no way she was even aware of what he looked like, besides the description Rebecca herself had given her. Still, Anzu and Kisara talked often, and she had hoped that perhaps Kisara had let slip the information of Otogi's whereabouts to Anzu, in passing conversation. In hindsight, that had been a foolish hope – Kisara was not the sort to arbitrarily confide such things to just anyone, and she had been firm in her intentions that no one could be allowed to see Otogi, not now, at such a precarious time. Rebecca didn't exactly know what Kisara had meant, but there was something wrong, deadly wrong – and she wanted answers now. And, more than that, she needed to see Otogi for herself, so she could chew him out for what he had done…

Absently, she rubbed her arm, her fingers smoothing over the bandages wrapped tightly down her shoulder, to her wrist. It had been some weeks since that moment, when Otogi had attacked her, and she was healing, but slowly, very slowly. Even Silver Fang, for all that he loyally followed her around, was sluggish, his movements painful, with injuries nearly as severe as her own. Otogi owed her, and she wouldn't rest until she found him.

Anzu's voice cut through her thoughts. "…still, if you're going to keep doing this, I guess I'll help you find him. Maybe you'll actually stay in bed for once."

Blinking, Rebecca smiled excitedly, suddenly overwhelmed with giddiness. "Really?" she breathed, hardly believing. She'd thought it would take more convincing, but…

"Of course. But I'm not doing this for free."

That took Rebecca aback. "But we're friends, aren't we? I don't really have anything to pay you with…" Vaguely, she remembered the money she'd won off of Otogi, that day when she'd played him at dice – mere hours before the man had lost his mind. But she'd spent most of it, and what she had left wasn't enough to buy half a pop-sickle.

Anzu's lips curved slightly. "I don't mean money."

"Then what?"

"Information." The vampire's eyes narrowed, growing so dark they were nearly black. "I'll find the whereabouts of Otogi, but first, you have to tell me everything that happened in the cavern."

Rebecca swallowed, suddenly fearful. She desperately wanted to find Otogi, but she had been warned, on pain of punishment, to keep her mouth shut about the incident in the cavern; Kisara didn't want Anzu to learn of it, though why she wanted to keep Anzu in the dark about it had Rebecca mystified.

"Fine," Rebecca agreed, her desire to locate Otogi winning out, "but don't let on to Kisara that I mentioned anything. I know she's nice to you and everything, but she'll kill me if she finds out – she's promised to string me up by ankles, and leave me out to dry if I said anything, so keep quiet about this, okay?"

* * *

The days passed with surprising slowness. Ishizu contemplated sleep, turned it over in her mind, but quickly rejected it. There were thousands of refugees to consider, and therefore thousands of patients to take in hand; and for once, the strain of vampire blood that crept in her veins was more blessing than curse. Because of it, she could afford to push herself, if just a little longer – perhaps by the end of the week, she would find a chance to sleep. But for now, there were people who had need of her, and she was not so selfish as yet to ignore them, in favor of rest, even if it was much needed.

Morning dawned, gold light spilling into her office, and she gradually slid a small pile of paperwork away from her, her eyes flicking only momentarily to the tiny, immaculate bed in the corner. Both paperwork and sleep could wait, though she would have to return to the former, eventually – the countless people from Domino had yet to be situated, and with Battle city was already somewhat overcrowded as it was, there were innumerable files to be attended to, if the Domino refugees were to be found semi-permanent places to live, at least until Domino was eventually restored. If it was ever restored. Ishizu gazed absently at the clean healer's coat, hanging close to the door. The sleeves of the coat glittered palely, the intricate silver thread woven into their coarse green silk glinting in the soft glow of dawn. She was the head of the healers, the coat a stark reminder of her status – her responsibility to the Healer's sector, to the endless patients that were now filling its corridors, weighed heavily upon her, but even now, healing was not her sole concern. With Otogi still missing, the duties that had been originally assigned to him, as the leader of Battle city, fell upon her; not all of them, thankfully, but enough to make her weary beyond measure. She stood, looking resignedly away from the stacks of paperwork, and moved to take the coat from its hook. Rounds first, and then she would come back, and settle the matters that should have been under Otogi's jurisdiction.

The door of her office slid open, and she stepped gingerly outside, only slightly startled when she noticed Mahaado, standing motionlessly against a wall. His eyes lifted, and met hers – Ishizu instantly knew that there was trouble, and sighed inwardly. "Hello, Co-commander," she greeted lowly, "is there anything I can help you with?"

The man nodded curtly, drawing to her side. "I'm sorry to bother you, Ishizu. Can we walk and talk? I know you have rounds to attend to."

Mahaado seemed…strangely ill at ease. It was not quite nervousness, though for the past several weeks he _had _treaded cautiously around her, after he and the rest of Otogi's captains had half destroyed the Healer's sector. She did not hold it against them – not much, anyway – but it had made things difficult, considering the excessive tide of injured refugees from Domino, and the reduced space the healers now had to work with. But the vampire that had invaded the sector had been killed, before he had a chance to do too much harm; nearly all of the fourteen captains had been wounded, or in some way temporarily incapacitated, by the vampire, but no one, hunter or civilian, had died by the vampire's hands. It was a blessing to be grateful for, but Ishizu couldn't deny that she'd been angry, when she'd learned of the extent of the damage. It would take months, or even years, to restore the Healer's sector back into its former state; but that was not the captains' fault, even if she did have the irrational urge to blame them. The vampire had nearly defeated them – fourteen of the strongest hunters under Otogi – and they had done everything in their power to subdue him; and for that, she was thankful to them, overwhelmingly so. Still, there must have been something in her demeanor to suggest otherwise, since the captains had taken to ardently avoiding her, most of them blatantly reversing direction whenever they caught sight of her.

Mahaado was admittedly braver than his fellow captains, even if he still cast her wary looks whenever he thought she wouldn't notice. But at the moment, his gaze was steady, eyes full of seriousness, and Ishizu felt her own small surge of anxiety.

"You have five minutes, Co-commander," she said, walking slowly, shrugging her green healer's coat over her shoulders. "Only five minutes, so make it quick."

Mahaado wasted no time. "We need a destination for Battle city. We've been holding out in the mountains for a while, but the mainframe's sensors have indicated that we've been detected – some of Pegasus' probes have been lingering in this area, for longer than normal. We should leave, as soon as possible."

It was odd, that he was coming to her about this. She had taken to overseeing the refugees, but Mahaado, as Co-commander under Otogi, had assumed all responsibility concerning the mainframe, and therefore directed the system controls of Battle city. Ishizu didn't understand; why would he need her opinion…?

"You know better than I what we should do," she replied, mounting the stairs that led to the center of the Healer's sector. "Why even ask me?"

"This is a decision that involves you as well. I've already told Vivian, and while she didn't completely agree with me, she saw the need." He glanced at her, and gave her a boyish grin. "I should say, she saw the need, but that didn't stop her from hitting me."

Ishizu considered his words, listening to the slight change in his voice – the tone of it had grown steadily deeper with firmness. "You've already decided, haven't you?"

"Yes. I've set the coordinates of the mainframe for Kisara's Keep."

Ishizu stopped abruptly. The man couldn't be serious.

Mahaado turned to face her fully. "Battle city will be safe there, and Kisara has resources that will be of some help. The healing technology she possesses should alleviate some of the strain the Healer's sector is experiencing – "

"Kisara won't allow it. She's cut off all ties from Battle city – it's been that way for close to two centuries, Mahaado."

"I will convince her."

Ishizu barely smothered an incredulous sigh. "Mahaado, if we appear anywhere near her keep she might well attempt to destroy us."

"I will convince her," the man repeated.

She shook her head, hardly believing Mahaado had audacity enough to even consider landing Battle city at Kisara's Keep. Was the man insane? Her anxiety grew threefold, her eyes hardly taking notice of the flurry of healers that now milled around them. The Healer's sector was awhirl with activity, and there was a slightly chaotic feel to the air, healers rushing from patient to patient, the heady smell of blood overwhelmingly thick to her senses.

Right now, Ishizu couldn't worry about Mahaado's foolhardy decision. She had rounds to deal with, and for the moment, the man could do what he wanted.

"Since you've already set the coordinates, there's nothing really for me to say, is it? Just know that if Battle city comes to any harm, Otogi will personally kill you himself." _If he ever returns._

Mahaado smiled absently. "I know."

* * *

The scent of flowers was strong here, and yet there was only a single rose, black and glistening in the moonlight. A single rose, and yet it filled her senses, her wings arching in shivering pleasure.

She opened her eyes, and the world flooded back, the smell of the rose dissipating, and the subdued colors of this place returning in full force. How she despised being here, all but an abject prisoner in a realm of opulence, with these vampire nobles bowing to her, their eyes brilliant with false adoration, and their mouths speaking nothing but deceit. She trusted none of them, but they were hers; she was their queen, and had been for centuries beyond measure. But she tired of them, desiring nothing more than to leave this place – her court, which was little more than a prison. Her husband she loved, but he had cast her into this place, and left her for years, while he had expanded his empire. She had waited, but no longer – she refused to rot here, alone in spirit, if not physically, pining after a man that cared less for her than she for a human slave. Pegasus would not return, but there were others who would love her. Her prize, a mortal of such beauty and grace he rivaled even the perfection of a vampire of the royal line, awaited her. With him, she possessed complete control of the Millennium Items – whose power she would use, once she was entirely free of this place.

The palace of her ancestors held her, with a bond of blood; such a bond was not like that shared between mates, forged through the drinking of each other's blood, but a bond passed through the ages, from parent to child, from generation to generation. Pegasus had used that bond, taken fullest advantage of it, to bind her against her will. But now that bond was weakening, and soon, she would have complete freedom.

"Attend me," Cynthia murmured.

One of her human slaves, fingers delicately folded against a robe of smooth, golden fabric, approached, eyes lowered appropriately to the floor. A pair of courtiers followed in the slave's wake, watching the human with twin gazes of anxiousness – but the slave was efficient, hands quick and gentle, sweeping the lines of the robe into place, before stepping back, and falling upon her knees. The slave was well trained; the robe hung comfortably, with subtle elegance, and Cynthia inwardly admitted that the human had performed her task to perfection.

She flicked her gaze to her courtiers. "You've chosen well," she said, her voice a soft thrum. "This human is suitable. Reward her." Then she turned, gliding away from them, casting all thought of them from her mind. Her courtiers were of little importance, their efforts to vie for her attention vaguely amusing at best, and irritating at worst. But new slaves were welcome, and this time, Cynthia was somewhat pleased with her courtiers' bootlicking.

Still, those two particular courtiers – a sister and brother, born within the imperial line – were vapid creatures, and blessed with only above average beauty. Already, she could hardly remember their faces, and by tomorrow, she had little doubt that she would be unable to pick them out from the sea of the other, surrounding nobles.

Cynthia moved slowly, sedately, through the bleak whiteness of her palace, stark lines of moonlight casting rippling shadow upon the pallid floors. The glowing eyes of the nobles followed her, the soft rustle of wings and silk producing a quiet echo; they were waiting, watching in the silent darkness, storing away each minute detail. Their regard mattered little to her – even if each of them happened to be spies sent from her husband, they would see nothing, know nothing, of the truth. Her freedom was at hand, so very close the smell of it hung in the air.

She had given him a room, an open chamber with access to the outside, that he would not feel trapped. Cynthia was too well acquainted with the feeling of imprisonment, to subject it upon a creature as worthy as he; the pain of suffering, alone in a prison, would not be his. As the pale light of the moon waned, fading into non-existence, she saw him, wandering through his room's adjacent courtyard, garbed in the fine clothes of a noble. The white material of the clothes, cut with thin, elaborate lines of dark gold, glistened against his bronze skin – truly, he was more magnificent than any of the vampires of her court, and for a moment, she marveled at his beauty, mortal though he was. It had been worth it, leaving the confines of her palace, and bearing the torment of the resulting agony, to gain him.

_Atem_, she whispered, mind brushing against his. He looked up, his purple eyes dark, slender fingers half clenching, body utterly motionless. Something rebellious still lurked within his thoughts, a defiance that amused her. It had been difficult subduing him, requiring complex levels of compulsion, but he belonged to her, now; the softest touch of her mind restrained the sea of his emotions, smothering the hate and frustration that seethed inside his heart. There was only room enough for his compassion, which she nurtured slowly, patiently – in time, the love he would possess for her would become deep, and utterly unshakeable. He had the capacity of great, unwavering love, and she had expected no less. That love, eventually, would become hers as well.

Cynthia moved towards him, a hand reaching for his cheek. He remained motionless, though his eyes continued to darken. He disliked her touch as yet, but allowed it. Her fingers ghosted over his skin, down his smooth jaw to his neck, where his veins gleamed. She traced them, riveted, her wings unconsciously encircling him.

"Monster," he breathed, though the word held no vehemence, no anger. It was empty, devoid of emotion, his face holding no expression.

She smiled, tilting her head. "Strange thing to say, my love." The pulse of his blood, beneath her fingertips, was rapturous, painfully excruciating. A spasm passed through her fingers, and they closed over his throat. "You and I are not so different. We desire the same thing, long for it, and it eludes us as it has from the beginning." She sighed, softly. "If I am a monster, then you are one, too."

Beneath her fingertips, Cynthia felt him shudder. "What are you talking about?"

"The thing that you have wanted," she whispered, her eyes opening slowly, "is _truth_. For years you've searched for it, killed for it. But it has evaded you, and it will continue to do so – unless you ask the right question."

His dark eyes lowered, leveling her with an emotionless stare. "And what is the right question?"

"Come now. You are well aware of it, my beautiful hunter-prince. Ask for it. Ask."

His pulse slowed, his pupils dilating into pinpricks. "Where is truth?"

Cynthia smiled. Not what, but _where_; in a split second, he had realized, and understood.

"Truth is here, Atem," she said, her fingers tightening over his warm, gleaming arteries. "In your blood, where it has always been. Your blood, which is completely mortal, while your brother is more vampire than human. Haven't you thought it strange? Brothers, one born in darkness, the other born on the cusp of dawn, identical in form and face, yet different in blood. It makes little sense, unless you, my dear Atem, are a child of a vampire."

She felt his fear – a slender thread of shock racing through his mind. "Impossible," he said, voice low and as emotionless as his eyes.

She said merely, "Your mother lied. She was careful, far more than I expected her to be, and she took precautions to keep her secret hidden. The lies she fed you were what you desired to hear, and held enough of truth that you wouldn't question it further. If you had not been so determined to protect your brother, perhaps you would have figured it out sooner."

His fear leapt, growing into full-blown terror – though his face remained impassive. "How do you know about Yugi?"

"From the prophecy, my love. The hunter of two bloods, destined to take the remnants of humanity into the sky, and fated to become the destroyer of the last king of vampires. For there to be a hunter of two bloods, the intermingling of vampire and human blood had to occur – and I was the one who arranged it."

His face remained expressionless. She smiled at his silence, but he could not hide the inner turmoil of his mind from her – it was delicious, the chaotic turn of his thoughts, and she sighed softly in pleasure.

Cynthia released the grip of her fingers from his neck, and drew closer to him, whispering delicately in his ear, "Would you like to learn more of the truth, my love?"

Her hunter-prince shuddered, and she felt his disgust at her proximity. She laughed, sweeping her fingers intimately through his hair, before tightly embracing him. She continued to whisper to him, slowly revealing the sickening, disturbing secrets that she'd never given to anyone, reveling in Atem's shivering form, as she spoke of the madness that had tormented her, ruled her, for centuries on end.

She stayed with him until dawn, wrapped in his mortal warmth, comforted by the sound of his blood, thrumming melodically in his veins. And, for the first time in nearly a millennium, she felt at ease, safe in the presence of this hunter, her ultimate prize.

* * *

Darkness was setting in. She stared out, trying to comprehend the shifting color of the clouds, from a pale, almost pearlescent gold, to a dark, rolling amber. It helped, looking out of the tall, bare window of the room, while the healers moved slowly around her, smoothing bed sheets, and contemplating the gleaming, unbearably loud machines. One of them gave her arm a light touch, cool fingers trailing down her already cold skin. She turned slightly, tilting her head painfully to the side. The healer's face was unfamiliar, but that was to be expected – ever since she'd woken, she'd gone through several different healers, each of them as much a stranger as the next. Her memory was vague, hazy in some areas and overwhelmingly vivid in others, but she remembered Kaiba, and the vampire, and she was afraid.

The healer murmured gently in her ear, "Would you like to eat? We have soup and apple sauce, if you want."

Mana shook her head. With every healer, there was always the question of eating; she was never hungry, and the food they offered her was unappetizing, anyway. She wanted, more than anything, to learn what had befallen Kaiba – but at the moment, she was in no condition to ask, though she somehow doubted they would tell her, even if she could speak.

Sweeping a hand down Mana's arm again, the healer drew back, eyes slightly dark with disappointment. "If you're not hungry, then we'll start the procedure."

Mana allowed the healer to lead her back to the narrow, newly made bed, some feet away from the window. In the fading light of dusk, the healer's coat – deep grey, with intricate threads of bronze, twining around the sleeves – gleamed, and Mana was reminded of how different these healers were to the healers of Domino. Here, there were degrees of rank among the healers, where in Domino there had been none – Domino healers, as a rule, had always worn the same pristine white clothes, no matter what level of experience. The past few days had shown Mana that Battle city was as different from Domino as the sky from the sea, in nearly every aspect. From what little she could ascertain, Battle city healers were divided, from the lowest novice to the most skilled of healing masters, by their coats – the gray and bronze represented a mere step below a master-healer.

The bed was clean and neat, but far from welcoming – Mana idly wished that the healer had left her by the window, but this was unavoidable, necessary. The sheets were cold in the extreme, and the bed itself narrow, but she supposed it didn't matter; she wouldn't be sleeping.

Allowing her mind to drift, Mana turned her thoughts back to Kaiba. The healer helped her settle herself, as comfortably as possible on an uncomfortable bed, and whispered soft, barely audible commands. Mana obeyed absently, pointing her gaze up to the ceiling as the healer directed, and drawing long, ever deepening breaths.

She could see him, when she closed her eyes – Kaiba, fighting the vampire. She could still taste the essence of blood, lingering on the air, as the memory returned in full, haunting force.

Mana didn't feel the painful sting of the needle sliding into the vein of her arm, her eyes closing, and everything sinking into an agonized haze.

_The helplessness was worse than the sensation of suffocation, and she was frantic, desperate for a way of escape. Caught completely in Marik's chokehold, she looked up, away from the satisfied gaze of the vampire, and saw that the sky was still black as sin, devoid of any sign of an encroaching dawn. There were clouds, darkly crimson, and smoke, rising heavenward, and so, when she saw the first glimmerings of some immense thing, wings scraping the sky, and a multitude of scales glittering in the distance, she was sure she was beginning to hallucinate. Mana shut her eyes, twisting and clawing at the vampire's arm, to no avail; he had her, and his fingers only tightened at her struggling. She could feel a searing pain erupt in the back of her neck, as his grip steadily began to crush the vertebrae just beneath her skull. Mana was out of time, and her mind was blanking, her lungs burning with the lack of air._

_Air…wait. She couldn't breathe, but there was still enough oxygen, trapped in her lungs, to be of some use. Her eyes snapped open, and she took in the sight of Marik's face, the vampire's features blazing in the glow of the surrounding sea of fire. Marik's expression was cool, but in those palely purple eyes, she saw the sadistic hunger, the disgusting, predatory triumph. The vampire was enjoying this, sickening pleasure written over his face – he thought he'd already won._

_A mistake._

_Mana took what air she had left in her lungs, and screamed. Lacing her voice with every ounce of her remaining energy, the scream ripped out of her, with so much pressure the flames circling them were snuffed out, the ground trembling slightly with the sheer force of it. The vampire dropped her, clutching at his ears, and Mana fell, her body collapsing completely. Her scream still reverberated, a physical echo, and she heard the vampire's own scream, a scream of pain, meld with it._

_She couldn't move, her muscles shaking, but she could finally breathe. Choking slightly, she took deep gulps of air, fighting to keep from blacking out. She was spent. The lack of air, and the scream, had drained her, and exhaustion rolled over her like a tidal wave._

_Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the vampire's wings, the scarlet feathers shivering. Her scream, along with Marik's, died down, and there was nothing but silence. Mana concentrated only on breathing – she'd never realized how good it felt, just to breathe – and remained motionless, her quivering muscles relaxing. There was danger, so much danger, still, but she couldn't bring herself to care._

_A sound, dark and menacing, reached her ears, and with the last vestiges of her strength, she turned her head. Marik, his blonde hair writhing, red wings arching upward, was laughing – Mana had never heard anything so evil, and her body began to tremble again. The vampire's shining, demonic eyes fell upon her, and she unconsciously tensed, her mind willing her body to move. It was a struggle in futility, though – there was no energy left, and the best she could manage was to roll on her stomach, her hands pushing weakly against the ground. Mana was able to force herself to her knees, but that was as far as she got; there was a rush of movement, and the vampire's foot slammed down upon her spine, that chilling laughter growing louder, more forceful – insane._

"_Interesting trick, little hunter-girl," Marik whispered, his foot pressing down ever harder against her back. "Who would have thought a mouse like you would put up a fight? Yes, very interesting." The tips of his talons caressed her neck, and she felt, rather than heard, his wings sweep down, their wind brushing her hair. "Humans are…so much fun. Will you scream again, little girl? Scream, as I rip out your heart, vermin?"_

_A bad situation. She realized, idly, that she was going to die by the hands of this vampire, and she hadn't achieved what she'd wanted from life. She was a hunter, sure, after spending half her life training, but she couldn't even defeat this one vampire – she had failed, and did she have anything to show for it? Domino was a burning ruin; her home was gone, and there were so many who had died, her childhood friends, the people that had been, for all intents and purposes, family, her own blood, even if she hadn't been related to them. Was Atem still alive? Jonouchi, Ryou? Was Yugi?_

_Marik had defeated her, but there was still one person that she could ensure survived, even if she died here. The talons of the vampire trailed to a point over her spine, and she felt them prick deep, like the tips of tiny knives, driving slowly into the weak section of her armor, and then into her skin. She stretched her own fingers out, and gave a mental call. This had worked only once before, but she needed it to work again –and she needed it now._

_Her whip came, flying out of nowhere, and her fingers wrapped around its pole – just as the vampire's talons sunk completely into her spine. Mana sucked in a breath, but she didn't have energy enough to scream; she flicked her wrist, and her whip snapped, its long, glittering length curling up, above her shoulder. She felt Marik stiffen, her whip going taut, and she knew that it had twined itself around his neck. Twisting, she rolled again, dislodging Marik's talons, and tightening the grip of her whip. _

_Now that she was on her back, she could see the vampire's face clearly – the pale rings of his irises had darkened slightly, the pupils reduced into pinpricks. She breathed deep, her body tensing._

"_An odd turn of events, little vermin. What will you do now?" Marik stood motionless, wings lowering a bare inch._

_Her eyes flicked to the shadow shifting behind the vampire. "I won't do much," she whispered._

_Marik's eyes narrowed – then the vampire coughed, staggering, a stake erupting from his chest, blood splattering against Mana's face. Without a second thought, she squeezed the pole of her whip, and curved blades emerged from its length, plunging themselves into Marik's throat._

_The vampire stumbled, and Mana yanked the whip tight, forcing her legs up, kicking into his ribs – and Marik, pulled off balance, flew over her head, his body colliding heavily with the ground._

_Kaiba, his stake dripping with rivets of dark blood, stared down at her, emotionless. Finally he said, "Fool girl. Get up."_

_She wanted to thank him, but he didn't look as though he was in the mood to accept any form of gratitude on her part. Instead, she breathed, "I...don't think I can move."_

_Kaiba frowned, lowering his stake. "Of course," he hissed sarcastically. "This just keeps getting better and better."_

_Half of her wanted to apologize, but she stopped herself. "You're a...jerk, Kaiba."_

"_True," Kaiba replied slowly, "but at least I can stand."_

_Something suddenly struck her as strange. "Just how are you standing, anyway?"_

_Kaiba inclined his head slightly, sneering a little, his hand going to his side. "You mean this?" His fingers slid almost nonchalantly between the metal plates of his armor, where the deep, open wound gaped. They came away, without a single drop of blood. "I just know how to use fire and a knife, girl."_

_Mana very nearly sighed. How Kaiba managed to be so irritatingly abrasive, when things were this serious, she just couldn't comprehend. And yet, she felt a surge of relief; one could always count on Kaiba to be tougher than iron, and somehow, it didn't surprise her that he'd cauterized a near fatal wound, and was still able to stand there, just as arrogant as ever._

"_So, will you help me?" It bruised Mana's pride to even ask him, but she didn't have much choice – it was either ask, or just lay here for the rest of the night. "If we hurry, we can make it to the transfer-gate within an hour."_

"_Do you expect me to carry you?" The sneer on Kaiba's face grew deeper, his eyes icy._

_Mana didn't even bother to suppress her anger. "Just help me _up_, jerk-face. I can walk on my own."_

_That was a bit of a lie, but whatever. Once she was on her feet, then she could figure out how she would manage to walk – though it would be slow going, with her body drained of nearly all of its energy._

_She heard Kaiba snort. "You're more of an idiot than I thought. You and I both know you're incapable of standing on your own, let alone walking."_

_Mana began to protest, but he was already reaching down, his hand taking hold of her shoulder. He lifted her from the ground, swinging her arm over his neck. She attempted to put weight on her legs, but they buckled, and she would have fallen, if Kaiba hadn't shifted, hefting her body onto his back. She clung, feeling like nothing such much as a squirrel, to his shoulders, a surge of guilt sweeping through her. Was she so weak, that she had to rely on someone so severely wounded as Kaiba?_

"_Put me down. I told you, I can walk – "_

"_Be quiet."_

"_But, Kaiba – "_

"_Just point the way to the transfer-gate, and keep your mouth shut."_

_Fighting back another sigh, she said, "I owe you for this, don't I?"_

"_Heh," Kaiba breathed._

_Mana blinked, an odd feeling seeping within her. "Kaiba. Did you get his heart?"_

_Beneath her, the man stilled, his gaze turning to the motionless form of the vampire, only a few feet away from them. "I don't make mistakes, Mana."_

"_But…"_

_She saw it, then. The vampire's crimson wings, spayed haphazardly over the ground, twitched. Suddenly, faster than thought, the vampire sat up, black blood staining his blonde hair, a smirk slowly writing itself over his lips. Gingerly, Marik touched long, clawed fingers to his chest; his darkly tanned hand, drenched in blood, glistened in the wash of firelight. Marik's smirk transformed into a manic smile. "I think you've made one this time, hunter."_

_Mana's breath hitched, and Kaiba's jaw clenched. She heard him whisper something lowly, something that sounded suspiciously like, "I won't a second time."_

_And then Kaiba was moving, speeding forward, amazingly fast despite the fact that she was clinging to his back. Marik laughed, rising to his feet, his wings flinging open. Kaiba leapt, plunging one of his stakes downward, and forcing the other into an arc. The vampire caught the first stake, and absently struck the second with the back of his hand, sending it spinning out of Kaiba's grasp. In that split moment, Kaiba was overwhelmingly vulnerable, and Marik didn't hesitate to take the opening – dark talons surged toward Kaiba's throat._

_Mana pushed herself forward, and took hold of Marik's hand – with her teeth. She had the satisfaction of seeing Marik's eyes widen, though she was sure it was more with surprise than pain. She bit down as hard as she could, twisting her head like a dog to inflict as much damage as possible._

_Mana hardly noticed Marik's opposite hand. It slammed into her face, driving every ounce of air out of her, the talons ripping from her ear, to the muscles of her cheek, and then, through her eye._

_The instant it happened, she felt no pain, tumbling off of Kaiba's shoulder like a rag doll. Then there was a slow ache, and blood, so much blood._

_But Kaiba's hand was freed. He whirled his single stake, and Mana saw, with her remaining eye, the careful dance of hunter and vampire; Kaiba moved with singular, ruthless grace, sweeping with the silver tip of his stake, and ducking below the vampire's talons. Marik's wings drove up gusts of wind, and the vampire was all liquid motion, dodging Kaiba's stake with ease._

_The ache grew into stabbing agony, and shock flung her into unconsciousness. _

Eh, I hope this wasn't boring._  
_


	8. In Death

Eh, another update. Thank you for the reviews - they are a blessing that I don't deserve. If anything is confusing, keep in mind that I haven't finished yet; by the end of this story, everything will be answered...

_A child pulled at his mother's robes. Belatedly, he recognized the child, after blinking his eyes and slowly rubbing them, his vision clearing. It was his brother, and he inwardly berated himself for not identifying his twin instantly. Exhaustion crept at the edges of his mind; he was tired, and the lack of sleep – a total of three days – was affecting him adversely. But he needed to be alert, now more than ever._

_His mother drew low, to one knee, the silk of her robes spilling gracefully over the floor. She wore red today, and so the fabric of the robes looked much like blood, dark and pooling at her feet. He shook his head quickly, clenching his hands tight, to rid himself of that sudden, gruesome thought. Contemplating things like that, things no one his age would dare think about, was one of his problems. His mother had taken it upon herself to tell him so, to be sure that he was well aware of his failings, so that he would improve them as swiftly as possible. Still, it was very difficult, smothering his darker thoughts. They plagued him, and always had, even before measures had been taken to ensure that he was made to be as useful and efficient as necessary. He was the key; his mother had given him that role, had told him over and over again that he existed for one thing and only thing only, and that was to protect Atem. He kept her words at the forefront of his mind, well aware of their meaning. If he was a key, then he only possessed a single purpose, and once that was gone, he would no longer be needed. But the day when he would fulfill that purpose was still some distance away, for his twin first had to become a hunter. Atem wasn't even a novice yet, and at five, he wouldn't be one for another few years. Which meant that Yugi had time. Perhaps he could prove that he was more than a key, if he tried hard enough. He didn't want to be a key – he wanted Atem's life, desired to walk carefree and unburdened, like his brother. But as he watched his mother, carefully sweeping away a wisp of Atem's hair from his face, there was a feeling, a sensation, as though he'd lived this moment before. The same deep, desolate disappointment, the achingly familiar loneliness, would never pass._

_Again he blinked, though his sight remained slightly blurry at the edges. It was very strange, but it everything seemed somewhat off, almost as if he were asleep and dreaming. He even felt wrong, worse than before, though he dismissed the strange, lingering feeling; after all, it had only been a few hours ago, when his mother had reinforced the seal. There would be pain for many days, until the seal settled, and he became acclimated to it. His eyes lowered absently to his hands. Their trembling would stop, eventually._

_He looked away from his shaking fingers, and trained his gaze back upon his mother and brother. He had to stay focused; he wasn't here to stare at his hands, but to watch over Atem. His mother had made it clear that he was to keep Atem safe – by any means necessary. And so, for the moment, he had decided that trailing his twin would be his best bet. If he followed Atem, then his brother couldn't fall into harm, without him noticing – though what he would do if his brother came into danger, he wasn't quite sure. He needed a plan of action, one that would involve him protecting his twin as effectively as possible, without Atem being aware of his presence. His mother demanded perfection, without any mistakes, especially considering that a mistake could cost Atem his life. His twin was special, and when Atem came of age – at twenty-one, which seemed so impossibly far from now – he would lead every person in Domino, and fulfill a destiny so great that it was hardly imaginable. His mother had made Atem's fate sound so grand, that Yugi couldn't help but be completely terrified of failing. Until Atem reached his twenty-first birthday, nothing could befall him – absolutely nothing, or else Domino would be doomed._

_His mother slowly drew back to her feet, as Atem tugged at her arm. She followed sedately along, allowing Atem to lead her almost out of sight, before Yugi even realized they were moving. He shook his head again, in an attempt to clear his still blurry vision, and then slid silently into motion._

_He remained a few steps behind them, well out of sight, listening while Atem spoke soft, confident words to their mother. His brother told her about his lessons, and about his plans to go play a game with Jonouchi and Ryou; she smiled, nodding slightly, sunlight alighting upon her hair, the strands gleaming a mixture of gold and crimson upon black, as she inclined her head. They were nearing the inner sanctum, where there would be bolder beams of sun, and it would be more difficult to keep his presence hidden. Yugi frowned, deciding. Should he keep following? His mother had made it clear that he was to guard Atem's life, but with a certain amount of discretion. No one else could know; Yugi's role in the protection of his brother, and to the greater extent, Domino, had to be kept secret. Not even Atem could be allowed to learn – it was best if his twin lingered in ignorance. But if Atem noticed Yugi following him…_

_His brother was already heralded as a prodigy, his intelligence and innate talent lauded by his teachers and the Council. Atem was more concerned with card games, and, to a lesser extent, pranks, than he was anything else, but his genius was not to be overlooked. Atem was far from stupid enough to miss Yugi trailing them in broad sunlight._

_His mother would not be pleased if he was seen, but if Yugi shirked the duty she'd given him, she would be more than displeased – he would be punished, for disregarding her direct command. He drew a slow breath. He would have to be extremely cautious, and quiet; he couldn't afford to be punished, not now. The ache of the reinforced seal was nearly unbearable, and any punishment from his mother would undoubtedly add another layer of pain. But even more importantly, Atem had to be kept safe._

_For a long while, luck remained on his side, both Atem and his mother taking no notice of his presence, his brother speaking still, voice filling the silence of the inner sanctum. It wasn't often that Yugi had an opportunity to come to this place – the inner sanctum was part of his mother's home, an extension of her quarters, and Yugi had rarely ever stepped foot into it. It was beautiful, more so than any other part of Headquarters, perhaps even the loveliest place in all of Domino. Gingerly, he moved from shadow to shadow, as he had been taught, training his eyes firmly on the forms of his mother and brother. It was easy enough, at first, to keep focused on them. But then his eyes drifted, and he hungrily absorbed the vision of the inner sanctum. Vines crept along the floor, and there were flowers, blooming carelessly everywhere. The blossoming flowers were roses, of dark scarlet and pale green. Yugi had never seen flowers with color so vivid – but that was nothing compared to the walls. They were completely transparent, rippling with clear, cerulean water, fish swimming behind their glass surfaces. Golden rays of sunshine filtered through them, casting shards of white light on the smooth marble floor. Atem came here every day, lived here, in the quarters with their mother. Yugi could hardly imagine it. To live like this, in a place surrounded by water, and bathed in sunlight…_

_His fingers reached out, and touched the smooth glass of a wall. A fish, all sleek red scale and feathery fins, drew close to the glass and his fingers, before skittishly flitting away. He watched its movement, as it swam to rejoin a school of its own kind, a mass of red fish with equally delicate fins. His eyes traced the countless other fish, taking in the towering, transparent walls and the cerulean water. The pain still remained, his fingers trembling against the glass, but he felt strangely calm. Atem was amazingly fortunate to see this every day. He wondered still, what it would be like to have his twin's life. Yugi's gaze traveled back, to his mother and brother, and that odd sensation, as though he were seeing this for a second time, returned in full force. Atem's small hand clutched at mother's silken sleeve, his brother's eyes dark in their utter seriousness, while mother smiled softly, and gently, as he spoke. Envy and anger welled in Yugi's heart, which he struggled to suppress, but couldn't, no matter how hard he tried. Atem did not know the pain of being sealed, had never felt the strain of constant, unending training, would never be able to comprehend the stark loneliness of Yugi's life. The moment his mother had discovered the curse of his blood, she had rejected him. It had been a logical decision, of course; after all, who could care for a half-blooded abomination?_

_Things could have been worse, however. He did not have Atem's life, with the doting teachers and Council, and the easily made friends, but he hadn't received the fate that he should have gotten. His mother had been well within her rights to have him killed at his birth, but she hadn't; instead, she had given him a duty, and so long as he honored that duty, he would be allowed to live life like an ordinary human. That was far better than death._

_Still, he longed for something he couldn't have. One moment, one instant of his mother's love, that was all he wanted – and he hoped for it, clinging to the belief that he would please her enough, and she would see past his blood, and give it to him. Frowning, he looked away from his mother and Atem. Something told him it was foolish to hope, and even stupider to blame Atem. His twin had been just been lucky, that was all – there was no sense in any jealousy, or hatred. His brother needed protection, not anger or envy; Atem had done nothing deserving of any negative emotion. But Yugi couldn't help but wonder, if things had been reversed, and Atem had been the one born half human – _

_He glanced back, to stare at the transparent wall, and froze. For a split second, he thought he was seeing things, unable to comprehend what was gazing down at him. The glass surface showed a reflection, but it wasn't his, it couldn't be his…_

"_Ah," said his reflection mockingly, "but I am you. Did you forget?"_

_An adult, towering and taller than even mother, had replaced his own reflection. Yugi shivered, wanting nothing more than to back away, because this reflection had eyes that glowed demonically pale and terrifying, and skin so white it gleamed against incredibly dark wings...a vampire. This reflection was a vampire._

_He shook, his body motionless, mind blanking with searing, inexplicable fear. The reflection stared back, a slight smirk written across pallid, inhuman features. The reflection's hair was longer than mother's, writhing and twisting with its own will, but its color was the same – the identical crimson and blonde melded with black, that Yugi and Atem and their mother all shared._

_The desire to turn and run consumed him, but something held him, and as the reflection reached out, long black talons lengthening from a pale hand, he understood what that thing was. Recognition. _

"_You can't escape," his reflection murmured, smiling hatefully. "You aren't a five-year old brat anymore. I think its time to wake up, out of this stupid dream. I've waited too long for you to free me, and you will – or I'll tear my way out again, just like I did before."_

_The realization that his reflection spoke the truth, that this was a dream – or something like one, with old memories mixed in – intensified his fear. But with the fear, came the shame and humiliation he'd felt all of his life, knowing that he was tainted with the blood of vampires. And so the denial came easily, as it always did._

"_You're not a part of me," Yugi said, his voice hollow. "You've never been a part of me. Get out." His teeth clenched. "Get out now."_

_His reflection tilted his head slightly. "We are the same. Before our seal was removed, you ignored me, and there was nothing I could do about it. Things have changed. I'm not some dog, that you can just send away. I am the half that always kept us alive, even when you refused to acknowledge my existence. I am the half that healed any and all mortal wounds that have been inflicted upon us, but you would rather hide the knowledge of me away, even from your own heart. I have done nothing wrong, and yet you despise me. Why is that?" The reflection's smile deepened, showing a hint of fang. "Because my hunger is your hunger. And I…we…are very hungry."_

_For a long moment, Yugi couldn't breathe, and silence reigned ominously. His reflection continued to smile, silver eyes glowing even more palely, the pupils shrinking into nothing._

"_So," his reflection said slowly, breaking the silence, "when will you release me?"_

_Yugi shivered, whispering, "Never."_

_His reflection shook his head, still smiling._

"_Wrong answer."_

_

* * *

_

Light from the moon spilled into this place, but it was weak and pallid, too frail to penetrate the surrounding darkness. His eyes snapped open, and he saw the tiny pool of gray moonlight, drifting over the shadows. He was grateful that it wasn't daylight, yet - that he was still alone, with no one coming until well after dawn. It always happened, in the hours just after sunset, and nothing he did could make it stop. He tried to hold that…_thing_ back, but without the seal, which had existed as the barrier between his human and vampire blood, he always lost, no matter how long or hard he fought.

Things had started off the same, as they always did. With the seal removed, sleeping was difficult – he dreamed of old memories, things that were better left in the past, and his vampire self appeared constantly, and without warning. For weeks he had seen the vampire in his dreams, invading every memory, clawing constantly at his mind. With the setting of the sun, his blood burned, and that inner, vampiric side of him screamed to be freed – there wasn't a moment when he couldn't feel it, the bloodlust of his other half, and it terrified him.

For the second time, as Yugi moved toward the patch of light, he inwardly thanked Mahaado for locking him away in this place. The hunter captain had been just as wary of Yugi's mixed blood as Yugi himself was, and had taken no chances – Yugi had not seen another person besides Mahaado since his battle with the man in the healing sector. This old laboratory, ancient and unused, was the last place anyone in Battle city would think to come. Only Mahaado ever ventured down here, and never without precautions – the hunter always wore armor, ever armed with his newly forged staff. Still, Yugi would have preferred it if no one came, not even Mahaado.

The Co-commanding captain of Battle city hadn't known what to do with him, initially. Even now, it was obvious that the man clearly distrusted him – and Yugi couldn't blame him. He himself was unsure what he would have done, if their positions had been reversed; all hunters took an oath to protect humanity against the hunger of vampires, a vow that was not easily undone, nor quickly forgotten. Mahaado had taken that oath further – even with the knowledge that Yugi was only half-human, Mahaado had sworn that he would not lay a hand against him…despite the fact that Yugi had attacked and nearly killed most of Battle city's captains.

Still, it was not out of kindness that Mahaado had spared his life. Yugi was well aware that if he was unable to hold his human form during the day, things would be far different. Mahaado held human life in great esteem, and was more than reluctant to harm anyone human – he outright refused to do so, even though it probably would have been better for him if he'd just dealt with Yugi as a vampire. Mahaado saw him more of a casualty, a victim, of the eternal war between humanity and vampires – Mahaado considered dhampir to be a product of the selfish, evil whims of vampires rather than true threats in and of themselves. Yugi wasn't sure he agreed – he knew the mind of his other side, and as night gave way to day, he felt the vampire's instincts building and seething; those instincts were sadistic, the desire for blood always at the forefront, and that was the least of it – the part of him that was vampire wanted to kill, often and constantly, until the hunger for blood was sated. And maybe even after; the vampire wanted to see blood spilled, desired death beyond anything else. Yugi knew better than to think anywhere along the lines of Mahaado's terms – dhampir were far from innocent. _He _was far from innocent.

Whatever Mahaado's reasoning, the man had allowed Yugi to live, and gone a step further: every morning, he saw to it that there was always food and clean clothes available, and gave updates to the condition of Yugi's mother. Usually, by the time Mahaado came, the burn of his vampire blood faded, to the point where he could hold his humanity, and converse with the man with some sense of normalcy.

He gazed at the ray of moonlight, watching as it eased itself toward the center of the laboratory. The floor was slightly raised there, into a hardly noticeable dais, which stood surrounded by cylindrical green cells of crystallized glass. Mahaado had told him that, long ago, experiments had been conducted in those cells – experiments that didn't even bear mentioning, as they had been executed with misguided intent, in an effort to further enhance the strength of Battle city's hunters. That had been generations ago, and the results of those experiments had been insidious and twisted; Mahaado refused to elaborate further upon it, but Yugi imagined that there was a very good reason no one came down here – the people of Battle city still remembered what had happened in this place, and there was something that lingered near the cells, a deep, ominous feeling of wrongness.

With difficulty, he ignored that feeling, moving forward, past the cells and toward the fading stream of moonlight. More of the laboratory would be illumined once the sun rose, though it would still remain overwhelmingly dark, even after dawn. But the darkness didn't bother him; even now, the shadows were more gray than black, his eyes slicing easily through the darkness.

The moonlight splintered suddenly, curving over the length of Mahaado's original staff, which stood planted over the dais. As soon as Yugi approached it, the burn of his vampire blood calmed somewhat – for a moment. Mahaado had left it here, since it seemed to help with keeping Yugi's vampire side in check, at least during the day. Even now, several hours before dawn, he still remained human, because of the staff's inherent sealing properties – though it was still no replacement for the actual seal that his mother had placed on him in his childhood. Mahaado's staff had been created to kill vampires, and kill them quickly, by dividing them from the power that existed in their blood. Because he was only half vampire, Yugi couldn't be killed from the staff's influence, but, on the other hand, neither could he be totally sealed; the staff's power wasn't enough to suppress his vampire blood completely. But it helped, and as he reached out, into the staff's field of power, he felt the other, inhuman side of him recede. He drew a long, shuddering breath.

Dark electricity traced down the staff, wisps of it curling over his fingers. Then the staff's power retreated, without warning, and that peaceful moment passed. He had known it would only last for a minute or so, but the staff surprised him – its power had barely lingered for longer than a few seconds. In the back of his mind, he heard the vampire screaming.

Quickly, Yugi struggled to think of something, anything, to refocus his mind. Tremors racked his spine, and he clenched his teeth. He felt his body go cold, and then hot, and he backed away from the staff. It was happening too quickly, and suddenly found himself on his knees, fighting against the sudden surge of unnatural, blood-thirsty instinct.

He forced himself to remember the day before, when Mahaado had spoken of his mother, how her condition seemed to be improving, her health rapidly mending. The image of the Co-commander, gaze cool and wary, flashed in front of him, as his teeth clenched harder, the shivering traveling down his spine turning to pain.

"'She's doing better. Ishizu's told me that it's possible that she'll regain the use of her legs, with some intensive treatment and therapy. At the moment, she's falling in and out of consciousness, but Ishizu's mentioned that when she is awake, she constantly calls out a name, over and over again.'" Mahaado's armor had flashed, and his face had grown grimmer. "'Atem.' Your mother always asks for him. I don't suppose you know where he is, do you?'"

Yugi didn't know – and that was unforgiveable. He had failed in the duty that his mother had given him, because he was too weak to suppress the inhuman monster inside of him. That would change – it had to change. He would learn how to restrain his vampire side, without a seal, no matter what it cost him. He couldn't afford to stay locked down here, like some sort of animal – there was too much at stake.

If Atem had no one watching his back, how would he notice the unseen threats aimed at him? His brother had to survive; Atem was their last chance against Pegasus. If something happened to him…

No, he wouldn't allow anything to happen. Yugi would find a way to be rid of his vampiric half, somehow, and he would regain full control. Once the vampire was gone, he could leave this place, and search for Atem…

His body shivered, skin slick with sweat. The floor was pale and reflective as water. He half wanted to close his eyes, to look away, but something stopped him –

Yugi's saw his reflection on the floor, and it _changed_, shifting suddenly. Just as in the dream, the vampire replaced his true reflection, silver eyes burning.

_I told you before that I'm not a dog, _the vampire said lowly. _When will you learn?_

His vision went white as the world melted into searing, inexplicable agony. It was worse this time, so much worse than it had ever been before, but it was too soon, things were happening too fast –

Warm blood rolled down his back, weeping from his spine, and tried desperately to ignore the pain, but it was crushing him, and he was losing control…

Then his spine ruptured completely, and wings tore themselves free, blood splattering wetly on the floor. The sound of it sickened him, but he couldn't make it stop, and the hunger, dark and obscene and unbearable, overwhelmed him.

Yugi heard screaming, but it was far, distant. When he stood, hours afterward, he realized that the screaming had been his own. He swept his wings behind him, and breathed deep. There was the smell of blood – his blood – and sunlight.

Dawn had come early.

* * *

They flew over clouds warmed by sunlight, hued pale rose and gold, with the sun rising steadily to its zenith behind them. The heat of it irritated her, but her companion seemed unfazed – which irritated her all the more. He was no dawn-runner, and neither was she, but he bore the rays of the sun with far more grace than she did. Dartz was a high-strung toe-licker if there ever was one, but the way he flew, with idle, prolonged sweeps of his wings, spoke of a calm demeanor that she'd been certain he hadn't possessed. Beneath the clouds, the sky was lightening, with darkness still lingering to the west. Soon enough, they would be flying in the full, unadulterated light of morning, and the force-fields Pegasus had so graciously provided for them would have to be set to their highest strength.

The eradicators flew placidly with them, matching the languid pace of Dartz, holding the translucent force-fields a bare few inches from their wing tips. A gift, Pegasus had said, but even if the eradicators produced the finest of sun-shields – they were state of the art, some of the more impressive bits of technology to be had from the imperial courts – Mai couldn't find it in herself to be appreciative. She knew Pegasus too well, and she knew Dartz – the blue-haired man was here to monitor her, and she was to follow his orders, and if she didn't, there would be hell to pay. Dartz was a cretin, an infamous imperial doormat, but she didn't dare to underestimate him. Pegasus had chosen him to execute this mission for a reason, and Mai never overlooked Pegasus' scheming – the vampire king had ruled for over a thousand years, and not once during that long millennia had he ever committed a misstep. Mai certainly wasn't fool enough to ignore such a record, not anymore.

If she had been somewhat smarter before, several centuries ago, then she wouldn't be in this mess. But that came of greed, and Mai was well aware that she possessed enough of that in spades, and was thoroughly unashamed of it - the imperial court of Pegasus was a fountain of opulent pleasure, and she had desired it all. Especially the luscious black crown of Pegasus, with its pale opals the color of moonlight, and the darker, crimson blood-stones that gleamed even now in the back of her mind. Mai shook her head, opening her wings further as the air grew warmer, thicker. It was better to keep those thoughts buried and smothered, because she would only grow more hateful if she lingered on them. She despised Pegasus, loathed him with a passion that surpassed her greedy heart, and that was the very reason why she'd been sent upon this mission. Pegasus knew that she hated him, but her hatred was nothing to him - he had her in the palm of his hand, clutched tight between his fingers, and they both knew it. She was little more than an insect to him - and it burned, knowing that she was powerless, knowing that there was no way to escape. Pegasus had been aware of her grasping nature, had manipulated it to the fullest extent - he had known her greed for his throne would drive her to commit deeds so heinous they would have given even the vampire elders pause, and he had watched, always smiling, amber eyes ever dark with amusement. She had hated him even then, and her hatred, combined with her lust for his crown, had led to her downfall. But death, as she deserved for her treasonous actions, had not been given to her – instead, she had been trapped within the Imperial court, reduced to something little better than a human slave. She still had the luxuries of an Imperial noble, and Pegasus – the foul snake – constantly sent her presents that only the king of vampires could possibly attain…to humiliate her, completely and utterly. She was now his hand-fed pet, to serve at his beck and call, and so she had been for the past several centuries. But today, that would end.

The eradicators had stopped flying, and Dartz had alighted upon one of them, his skin overwhelmingly pale in the light of the morning sun. Mai did the same, flicking her wings up to perform a graceful landing, the eradicator bobbing slightly beneath her, before it adjusted to her weight. She turned to regard him, saw the bare smirk upon his features, and fought back a scowl. The arrogant toe-rag knew how to push her buttons, but she had to remain calm and collected, and above all, she had to make certain she didn't let her tongue slip. Dartz was leading the siege upon Battle city, and she was only here to play the smallest, most insignificant of roles. She knew what that smirk was for – it was time for her to be put in her place, as if she didn't know it already.

"My Lady Mai," he began, voice smooth, "do you remember my earlier debriefing? We have reached our destination, and Battle city waits beneath us. Would you like me to repeat the terms of your mission?"

More than anything, Mai wanted to sink her talons into his face, but she merely shook her head. That he treated her like some simple child, one that couldn't understand even the barest of directives, enraged her, but she held herself in check. If she followed Dartz's orders to perfection, and accomplished this task without flaw, she would gain a larger margin of freedom, as Pegasus had promised her…

Dartz smirked even more fully, his pale teal eye, and the paler gold eye, darkening slightly. "Perhaps I should repeat them still, just to be certain," he said softly.

Mai inclined her head, but remained silent. Dartz took her silence as acquiescence, and gave a vague gesture, sweeping a hand out to indicate the rolling clouds beneath them.

"Below us, Battle city rests over the sea, in the shadow of a mountain, facing the eastern horizon. At noon, I shall go a head of you, and cripple the city's defenses. When the energy fields of the city fall, you shall infiltrate it, retrieve your target, and return back to the Imperial palace. I will finish the remains of the mission, and follow in your wake. Do you understand?"

Mai gave a curt nod, inwardly lingering on the nonchalant manner of Dartz's words. Pegasus had only selected Dartz, a single vampire, to destroy a city full of hunters, and she wondered at Dartz's power, that Pegasus trusted him so. The blue haired vampire spoke of laying waste to Battle city with little concern, almost as if this were a mere errand, instead of a massive siege against thousands of hunters. It worried her, but she couldn't afford any anxiety – whatever strength Dartz had, it wouldn't be leveled against her, and that was all that mattered.

Dartz's smirk transformed into an indulgent smile, his blue-green wings lowering languidly. "Any questions, then?"

Idly, Mai reached within her sleeve, and removed her fan. She flicked it open, aware of Dartz's gaze shifting, his eyes growing confused. The fan was an exquisite gift, white silk threaded with equally white peacock feathers, and embroidered with thinly cut emeralds. It was the sort of thing a suitor would have presented to her, if he had interest – but Mai did not consider the vampire that had given her the fan anywhere close to a suitor…

For the first time, Mai smiled, hiding the curve of her lips behind her fan. Dartz's wary eyes and confused face amused her, and she said slowly, "None. No questions at all."

* * *

The mist had thinned, a frail, pallid shroud over the darkness, so they were more than visible, white dragons with eyes that gleamed like beacons. She waited, and the dragons, like a pack of wolves, limbered forward, fangs wreathed with jagged bolts of lightning. There was pain, a sharp agony that threatened to overtake her at the sight of them, and for a moment, she closed her eyes, struggling to block the anguish. Only three of the four white dragons still lived, and they served a human master now.

She had to accept their choice, but it was difficult, and the centuries had made it a torment for her, but there was nothing she could do. Opening her eyes, Kisara regarded the three remaining dragons, her gaze lingering on their lithe, muscular forms, before she glanced at the human, and stilled in sudden shock. His face was the same, his eyes a blue that was hauntingly, piercingly familiar, but it wasn't _him,_ it wasn't the man she had known several thousand years ago in her past.

But his features were identical, down to the smug, overly conceited sneer that lingered on his lips. It was no wonder the three white dragons had chosen him, and had given him their absolute loyalty. Kisara felt in herself the stark desire to approach him, to caress his cheek with the tips of her fingers, but the long centuries of loneliness, and the knowledge of the truth, held her. This mortal was not the man of her memories – that man was dead, and he would never return. Still, she allowed herself a moment to gaze upon the human, her mind wandering back to that forbidden time, when she had betrayed everything that she had ever known, to leave her kind for the company of a mortal. For a second, she could hardly breathe, caught in the memory – she still missed him, the stoic, conceited priest that had first despised her, before his heart had changed, and he had convinced her to be his wife...

After a time, Kisara spoke. "Why are you here, Seto Kaiba?"

The human, for his part, seemed unfazed that she knew his name – their gazes met, his eyes like ice. "You already know, vampire."

She did, for it was simple enough to read his thoughts, to gauge the inner desires of his mind, but that changed nothing; Kaiba had come here with a show of force, to gain entry into her Keep. His method was bold, insolent, and she refused to tolerate it.

"That is true," she said slowly, "but I asked you a question for a reason. Enlighten me, Seto Kaiba."

Two of the white dragons shifted restlessly, and the third, the largest one, lowered her head, sinuous neck dipping, jaws parting in a low, rumbling roar. Kaiba's eyes grew even colder, his face assuming a hard, expressionless mask.

"I didn't come here to play games with you, vampire." He took a step forward, fingers clenching a single, silver-tipped stake, its wood stained dark with crimson blood. "Let us in."

"By 'us,' I assume you mean all of your people?" Kisara tilted her head, her gaze sliding slightly beyond Kaiba. They were easy enough to pick out through the darkness, a mass of hunters shifting through the gloom, their armor gleaming even in deep shadow. They were all that was left of Domino, a mere remnant of the massive hunter force that the city had once held. Kisara turned her attention back to Kaiba. "I have no use for a contingent of hunters in my Keep. Leave, Kaiba."

His face went pale at her dismissal, eyes darkening with barely restrained anger. She knew his mind, read the shifting train of his thoughts, and was aware of the urgency that seethed within him, the absolute need for him to gain sanctuary within her Keep. Kaiba had endured an enormous amount of suffering, had fought for Domino well after it had been lost, and in the end, had been forced to admit defeat. That defeat lingered bitterly on his tongue, but he was a man of duty; what remained of the Domino hunters had rallied under him, and he had led them here, to a dark forest in the middle of nowhere, searching for some hint of her Keep. Kaiba had known that her Keep was the only possible place of safety in a world ruled by vampires, and he had found this forest almost entirely on will alone. She inwardly commended his determination, but she would not make it easy for him.

Kaiba took a few more steps forward, pupils shrinking with rage, though his face remained cold and utterly emotionless. His fingers trembled against his stake, and for a moment, Kisara had no doubt that he desired nothing more than to stab her right through her heart.

"You smell of death," said Kisara, unmoved by his hatred, which she sensed bubbling up through his thoughts. "I tell you again, Kaiba. Leave. Take your people and your pets, and be gone from my presence."

The white dragons, their eyes searing like stars, simultaneously arched their necks, and released a torrent of white lightning, leveling three concentrated beams of electricity against her. Idly, she raised her hand, and the flood of lightning cracked against her palm, the white light of the attack burning and blinding, and without a thought, she closed her fingers, the tide of electricity dissipating.

Kaiba had stilled, his anger giving slowly giving way to shock. He had never seen the strength of his dragons so easily defeated before, and his disbelief was palpable.

Kisara, her hair whipping of its own accord, opened her wings, gazing solemnly at Kaiba. "You have killed so many of my kind, but you still have yet to meet a vampire of true power. You are nothing but an ignorant child, playing at the game of hunting." Her gaze shifted to the hunters that hung behind him. She could see that most were injured, some permanently so, and many, by the smell of blood that clung to the air, were dying. "The hunters of old possessed skills you could hardly fathom, and yet they cultivated the humility to know their limits. It is time you did the same, or else you and your people will be exterminated. I ask again – why are you here, Seto Kaiba?"

She watched him, sharply aware of every inner thought that crossed his mind. Pride dominated his consciousness almost completely – and so, when he sank slowly to his knees, Kisara couldn't help but be surprised.

"I am here," Kaiba said, his voice filled with exhaustion, yet still somehow cold as ever, "to request safety and entrance into your Keep."

"Very well," Kisara replied, vaguely amused. "Because you ask so nicely, I shall grant your request."

* * *

The vampire was beautiful to behold, but frightening in her power. Shizuka had never seen Kaiba humble himself to anyone, and it spoke volumes of how desperate their situation had become; Kaiba was not the only hunter that despised vampires, but he was one of the few that took stark enjoyment from killing them, and yet he was on his knees, before a creature Shizuka knew he'd rather kill, and kill mercilessly. But, if what Shizuka had overheard was correct, then Kisara was far different from most vampires. It was said that Kisara gave sanctuary to anyone in need – or, at least, she had done so, long ago in centuries past. She was a legend now, a vampire with the reputation of being a champion of humans, though she had faded into obscurity, and no one had seen her in hundreds of years. Only Ryou, with his near-perfect memory, had possessed some hint of the whereabouts of her Keep. Shizuka glanced at him from the corner of her eye. It was a lucky thing that Ryou retained every bit of knowledge he'd absorbed from Domino's ancient records, luckier still that he remained conscious. More than luck, really – it was something of a miracle, especially with Ryou so badly wounded. There was a deep gash that ran through Ryou's silver armor, from his shoulder to his lower torso, and yet he still stood on his feet, refusing to lie down upon a stretcher, as she had advised him. Shizuka fought back a scowl. Ryou saw her looking at him, and smiled, waving a hand at her. Idiot man.

He should have been with the rest of the wounded, asleep and sedated, but Shizuka supposed that there was nothing for it – Ryou had insisted that she save her strength to tend the others, stubbornly resisting any effort on her part to heal him. In reality, everyone was injured, and Shizuka felt the strain of being the only healer among them; she wanted to heal, to make her way from hunter to hunter, mending bones and soothing burns, but she saw the wisdom of Ryou's stubbornness. She was tired, exhausted to the point where she shivered uncontrollably, mentally and emotionally drained. Old images, of fire and blood and people screaming, lingered behind her eyes.

The surrounding forest was shrouded in darkness, the trees black and towering hundreds of feet over their heads, but for the first time in days, Shizuka felt at ease. The vampire was terrifying, and in the back of her mind, Shizuka could feel a sort of primeval fear, but she shut it away; there had been enough horror over the past days that she was weary of fear, utterly tired of being afraid, and as she breathed in, a soft bit of calm rolled over her, and she sighed. It should have been strange to feel so relaxed while Kaiba stood humbled before a vampire, while Ryou was standing on his feet bleeding to death, and while her brother…her brother…

Shizuka's eyelids flickered, and a wave of sheer white panic threatened to overwhelm her. She smothered it, turning her thoughts from her brother, and watched the motionless figure of the vampire. Kisara was completely still, with only her silvery blue hair twisting as thought stirred by nonexistent wind.

Kaiba was still on his knees, his finger clenched so tight around his stake that his hand shook. Shizuka found herself moving, striding slowly forward. Kaiba was arrogant, self-absorbed, and totally ruthless, whether it came to vampires or humans, but she felt a flash of pain for him. So much had happened to him, and yet he refused to linger on it – but it showed, and to Shizuka, it was horribly obvious that he was in agony.

She hoped, for his sake, that Mokuba would live; he was a strong boy, but the amputation of his arm had nearly killed him, and his condition was steadily worsening.

Shizuka reached his side, but didn't dare look at him – Kaiba still had his pride, after all. But he was at the end of his strength, both physically and emotionally, and someone else needed to take over.

The vampire leveled a blue-eyed gaze upon Shizuka. Those eyes, so much like the eyes of Kaiba's white dragons, made her tremble slightly, but she matched the vampire gaze for gaze.

"Shizuka," Kisara said, in that unnerving manner of hers, "Your brother has died. And yet you want me to save him, just as you want me to save Mokuba, and the rest of the hunters you couldn't heal. I am not God. I cannot raise the dead, nor can I save someone past saving."

The words paralyzed her, and for a moment, she couldn't breathe. Jonouchi's face, his eyes staring but sightless, his throat ripped open, appeared in the back of her mind. He had lived, for so long, and she had thought, even with her waning energy, that she could keep him alive. And she had – only, today, when the sun had dawned, her healing strength had run out, and Jonouchi had choked on his own blood…

"You can save the rest," Shizuka whispered, her voice barely audible, but harsh. Beside her, she felt Kaiba rise weakly to his feet, and his fingers took hold of her shoulder. _He must be exhausted_, she thought vaguely, but his grip wasn't tight – firm, but not tight.

"Perhaps," Kisara replied, her features grave. She raised a pale, white hand, and snapped her fingers. There was a split second of absolute stillness, before the forest grew suddenly darker. The trees behind Kisara began to twist, black and writhing like shadows, and Shizuka felt a brief flash of nausea. Then the trees reached for each other, their branches melding, until all that stood behind Kisara was a mass of darkness. A tiny point of light, white like sunshine, sparked within the darkness, growing rapidly larger, until…

Shizuka narrowed her eyes, sucking in air, hardly believing what she was seeing. Glowing and shimmering behind Kisara was a portal, and beyond it was a place of brilliant, blinding sunlight.

The vampire turned wordlessly, entering the newly-made portal, the feathers of her wings trailing elegantly behind her. Shizuka watched as Kisara disappeared, the portal rippling in her wake.

She felt herself take a step forward. They had come so far, and so many had died - they had been so stupid to remain in Domino, defending something that they had known was already lost. Their foolishness had ended in nothing but death, and Domino now lay in ashes; everything they had known, everything Shizuka had known, was gone, completely destroyed. But they were safe now - the last surviving hunters of Domino, those that had refused to take refuge upon Battle city. Shizuka tasted the word upon her tongue, and it felt alien. Safe.

_But not Jonouchi. _

Shizuka took another step, and she could hear, behind her, the hunters shifting, preparing to follow. Kaiba's dragons limbered slowly forward, toward the massive glimmer of the portal. When she managed a third step, she felt a slight pressure from Kaiba's hand.

She half expected him to be angry, but his eyes were the cold, calm blue of an ocean wave, his teeth clenched, face white with pain. Beneath his throat, his armor was rent with long claw marks – where a vampire had tried to rip out his heart. That same vampire was dead, she knew; Kaiba had paid him back in full, an eye for an eye.

She had seen a glimpse of the vampire, after Kaiba had driven his stake through the monster's eye-socket. Mana had been avenged, though the vampire's talons had scarred her beyond measure.

Shizuka stopped, staring at him, and whispered, "We should go now, Kaiba."

His lips tightened. "Mokuba might die," he said, eyes growing ever colder, "but not because of you. You did everything that was possible to keep him alive. You extended yourself more than you should have, and that's why he still lives."

Shizuka nodded. It was as close to gratitude as she had ever heard from Kaiba, but a strange, icy numbness gripped her, and something painful burned behind her eyes. Still, she forced herself to smile.

"Mokuba won't die," she said, with a fierce certainty. _No one else will end up like Jonouchi, _she thought_. _Kaiba blinked. Then, after a second, his fingers tightened their grip over her shoulder, squeezing gently.

"You're a fool," he said, voice low, "but I believe you."

They passed into the portal together, Kaiba's fingers still clenched around her shoulder, walking into white, searing light.

* * *

He had fallen into a strict routine, snatching a few hours of sleep before dawn – if he had time – before leaving his quarters to check on the state of things. He always wore his armor, always carried his staff, even when the rest of the captains gazed at him strangely, and Vivian griped that he looked like an idiot, donning his armor so early. And maybe he did, but he had good reason, unlike Vivian, who looked for any excuse to go about her duties in just her pajamas. There were things to be seen to long before it became full light outside – the well-being of the refugees for one, and the state of Battle city's energy fields – and Mahaado made certain that he attended to those things, before he went to the healer's sector.

Today, though, he was running behind schedule. Half of it was Vivian's fault; she had been waiting for him, idly filing her nails, hair messy, looking for all the world as though she had rolled out of bed and marched straight to the control core. In the low, flickering light of the control-core, she'd stared at him, gaze hard, before whispering, "You're hiding something, Mahaado."

He'd known that she'd suspected, but he had hoped she'd be too preoccupied, too distracted with her own responsibilities to notice anything. That had been incredibly stupid of him; Vivian played the airhead, but her intelligence matched Otogi's, and she was smarter than most of the captains…maybe even smarter than Mahaado himself. A part of him wanted to tell her the truth – and after close to two hours of interrogation, he more than seriously considered it. The pack of lies he'd fed her wouldn't have convinced a goldfish, but then, Mahaado had never been a very good liar. Vivian, at length, had finally grown tired of him, and had let him off the hook, though her eyes had been dark and calculating. It didn't bode well, but Mahaado, by then, didn't have the time to linger on it – he had duties to fulfill, and any worry about a suspicious Vivian quickly became smothered by other, more pressing problems.

The first of which was the sensors. Mahaado spent another hour trying to fix them – they were completely scrambled, though by what, Mahaado couldn't quite tell. It happened, every so often that they malfunctioned, but usually it was a simple thing to get them functioning again. Miho, who headed the defense unit of Battle city, merely shook her head at him when he tried the usual methods. Her mechanics moved about the control-core like rapid dogs, furiously checking and rechecking the information cycling in from the corrupted sensors, but coming no nearer to solving the problem. Mahaado considered remaining in the control-core, until the sensors were back online; without the sensors properly functioning, Battle city was amazingly vulnerable, blind to any and all incoming threats. But there was little he could do here, until Miho's mechanics discovered the cause of the sensors' malfunctioning.

So he found himself moving in the direction of the healer's sector. Several hunters passed him, some also in their armor, headed for the training grounds. He nodded at them, and they nodded back.

The moment he stepped over the threshold of the healer's sector, he knew something was wrong. It was too quiet, and the healers looked withdrawn, faces marked with strain. Ever since the refugees from Domino had flooded into Battle city, the place had always been full of chaos, of people screaming, the smell of death heavy and cloying and clinging to the very air. Ishizu approached him, the shadowed light of the healer's sector sliding over her skin, her pale eyes shining. Mahaado stopped short, stiffening. He knew Ishizu was no vampire, nor a dhampir, but though she was mostly human, her eyes certainly weren't. Instinctively, his fingers moved to his staff. Shaking his head, he forced his fingers back to his side.

If Ishizu noticed his reaction, she didn't show it – she gazed at him levelly, silent for a moment, before she closed her pale eyes, releasing a tired, drawn sigh. "She's dying, Mahaado."

Mahaado released his own breath. There was no need to ask whom Ishizu referred to. "How long?" he asked.

"I don't know," she whispered, opening her eyes once more. Mahaado noted her hands; they were coated with blood. He flicked his eyes back to her face. She looked absolutely exhausted. "If she has any relatives among the refugees, I would let them know."

Mahaado felt icy dread wash through him. Ishizu still had no idea about Yugi, nor did she have any clue that her patient, the woman that now lay dying, had been the Head of Domino's council. If anything, Ishizu only knew the bare essentials – that the woman was high risk, and had been, ever since the vampire that had attacked the healer's sector had brought her here…

The very thought of the vampire – or rather, the dhampir – brought a deeper wave of dread; Yugi would have to be informed. Mahaado had no idea of how the man would take it. For a long time, it had seemed as though things were looking up, with Yugi's mother growing healthier with the passing of days. But Ishizu had told him that she always kept a fever, even after weeks of extensive treatment. Mahaado knew that Ishizu, personally, had poured out her energy into healing Yugi's mother – and Ishizu was a healer of master-level, and the strongest of her rank. Yugi's mother should have made a full recovery, with a healer of Ishizu's caliber attending her; but Mahaado knew things could go badly, and very quickly, no matter the situation.

"She has no one." The lie pained him, more than he'd expected, but it was necessary. Yugi's mother would die alone, and it had to be that way – Mahaado had no intention of allowing Yugi anywhere near the healer's sector. In the mornings when Mahaado met with him, Yugi was calm, and Mahaado knew him to be a man of gentleness and humility – but that was when he was human. The laboratory was the safest place for the man, with the power of Mahaado's old staff sealing his vampire blood. Mahaado didn't dare to think of allowing Yugi his freedom, not even if it meant that his mother would die without seeing him, one last time.

Mahaado felt the oppressive weight that lingered over his shoulders grow heavier, and he only vaguely listened to Ishizu, as she told him more bad news – all of the healers had reached their limit. Too many refugees, with too many that required intensive healing, and the healers were beginning to break, one by one. Ishizu had taken to overseeing the patients of other healers, so that they could rest and restore their strength. But Mahaado knew that even Ishizu couldn't keep such a pace up, though there was little he could do – Battle city was overwhelmed.

"Just a little longer," he said to her, and Ishizu's eyes narrowed. She still didn't approve of him contacting Kisara, not even with the healers in such dire straights, but now it was obvious: if they didn't reach Kisara's Keep soon, more people besides Yugi's mother would die.

Mahaado took his leave of the healing sector, his fingers still clenched. It was rapidly approaching noon, with bright, stark sunlight seeping into Battle city. Mahaado, once he was certain there was no one watching him, pressed a hand to one of those walls, taking a harsh, ragged breath. It was the first time in so long that he allowed himself to feel his own fatigue. If Otogi hadn't disappeared, Mahaado was sure that _he _would have known what to do – but Otogi wasn't here, and Battle city was crumbling.

_No, _Mahaado thought, _now isn't the time for weakness. _Yugi had to be told of his mother's condition. Mahaado could do that, at least, even if he couldn't fix anything else.

The lowest sector of Battle city was empty – no hunter ever ventured down here, and the air was still and cold. Mahaado's breath streamed out, and as he walked through the sector's near black darkness, he reached for his staff. The feel of the staff, the metal oddly warm, gave some comfort, but tension welled within him, as it always did when he neared the laboratory. He saw the small sphere of dull orange light that marked the entrance into the laboratory, and placed his hand over it. The dark doors of the laboratory slid open, slowly, releasing clouds of smoke. Mahaado hesitated, the tension inside of him intensifying, before moving forward. Within the laboratory, the darkness was deep, but Mahaado could see the towering cells, some still filled with the liquid of past experiments.

The cells lined the walls, glimmering a vivid acid green, and beyond them, in the laboratory's center, was Mahaado's old staff. The staff stood in a pool of weak sunshine, its steel gleaming dully.

Yugi was nowhere to be seen.

Mahaado approached his staff, the tension within him building until it was nearly excruciating. Yugi always met him here without fail. Was the man off in another part of the laboratory? Mahaado was more than an hour late – maybe Yugi hadn't expected him to come at all. Or, perhaps…

Mahaado moved, swinging his new staff. His reaction came too late – his staff was knocked away, and he suddenly found a hand wrapped around his throat, in a crushing chokehold.

_What…?_

It didn't register, at first, what exactly was going on – his mind slowed, even as the fingers over his neck tightened. When his vision went white at the edges, he got a hold of himself, reaching for one of the blades he kept lodged beneath his armor. Burning eyes gazed at him dispassionately, dark wings sweeping ominously forward. Quickly, Mahaado stabbed the blade – a small, slender knife – into the juncture between arm and shoulder.

It had the desired effect, and the hand over his throat released him. Mahaado fell to the floor, fighting for breath. He didn't understand – it was the middle of the day, well after morning. This shouldn't have happened…

He tried reaching for his staff, but before his fingers could even brush it, it was kicked away from him. Instinctively, he rolled, struggling to get to his feet. Then _he _was kicked, a foot slamming into his chest, forcing him backward with enough strength to drive him into the green glass of one of the cells. Glass shattered at the impact, and Mahaado coughed, tasting blood, fighting to keep his focus. Things had gone blurry, and something of his was broken – one of his ribs, maybe, by the feel of it. Desperately, he reached for another knife, and tried to stand. The wind had been knocked out of him, but he needed to keep moving, had to keep fighting –

_No. Stay there, Mahaado._

Mahaado's eyes snapped up. He had been afraid of this, so deeply afraid, but he still hadn't expected it to happen.

He'd been a fool.

The poisonous green light of the cells gleamed over vampire white skin. Mahaado tried to tense, but an inexplicable weakness rolled over him, and he felt…tired, too exhausted to stand, much less fight.

_Stay where you are. _

Mahaado realized that he'd made a mistake. He'd made eye-contact – he hadn't meant to, but things had happened so fast, too fast, and he'd never anticipated this. Stupid of him, so very stupid of him…

When Yugi approached him, padding silently upon broken glass, wings producing a quiet whisper, Mahaado looked away. It was already too late, of course – he'd already seen Yugi's eyes, and he could feel the effects of compulsion taking over. Vivian had told him what it felt like, and yet, this was somehow…different. For Vivian, it had been instant obedience, and she'd had no choice in the matter – she hadn't even realized that she was being controlled. But Mahaado remained aware, and even though his energy was rapidly draining, his will still belonged to him.

But even if he still had control over himself, it didn't change the fact that he could barely move. Mahaado slumped forward, his legs unable to hold him up. For the second time, fingers clenched around his neck, and though Mahaado clawed weakly at the hand, he was lifted high, with impossible strength.

The tips of sharp talons eased themselves into his throat, and Mahaado felt blood slide warmly down his neck. He couldn't avoid meeting Yugi's eyes any longer – searing, pale silver, with the whites turned the red-black of blood, they were utterly demonic, and Mahaado could see nothing of the man Yugi had formerly been. _That _person had been amiable, understanding, constantly asking about the well-being of Battle city, and far kinder than most of the hunters Mahaado knew. If things had been different, Mahaado would have considered Yugi a friend – a close friend, for all that Mahaado had only known him for a month.

_But I'm not your friend, am I, Mahaado?_

Yugi's talons were sinking deeper, and more blood rolled down the skin of Mahaado's throat. There was pain, but it was distant, smothered by the dark, emotionless voice invading his thoughts.

Mahaado managed a whisper. "Stop…"

Silver eyes narrowed. _No. _

Blood flowed freely down his neck, now, though Mahaado could feel, vaguely, that his artery hadn't been punctured. It made little difference – he was going to die. He had allowed Yugi to take a hold of his mind, and in that instant, the battle had been lost. Mahaado had been too trusting, too forgiving…if he had killed Yugi, while the man was still human, this wouldn't have happened. But even now, with his heart slowing, and his lungs struggling to draw breath, Mahaado knew that he wouldn't have done things any differently. Yugi hadn't deserved death, not for being what he was – and Mahaado had sworn to protect all of humanity, the first vow he'd taken as a hunter, and that was an oath he refused to dishonor. Yugi was human, even with the taint of his vampire blood. Killing Yugi would have been morally wrong; and Mahaado, despite everything, had refused to even contemplate it.

He was going to pay for that decision now, though. Mahaado had made one too many mistakes – mistakes that Otogi would have never committed. Otogi wouldn't have ever considered hiding away a dhampir, a creature just as violent and bloodthirsty as any vampire. Mahaado inwardly laughed, his eyes slowly rolling back, as he lost his grip on consciousness. Certainly, Otogi wouldn't have dreamed of risking his life, all for the sake of telling a dhampir about his dying mother…but Mahaado wasn't Otogi. Even now, if Mahaado could just get a breath in, he would tell Yugi about his mother, without a second thought; it was the right thing to do. Overwhelmingly stupid, but right.

Yugi's fingers loosened without warning, and Mahaado was thrown, his body skidding across the laboratory's floor, and coming to a halt near a pool of sunlight. Immediately, he breathed, his lungs shuddering, and tried to focus his eyes. He couldn't make out much, since some of his hair had fallen over his face, effectively obscuring his sight, but he could still see a little from his left eye.

Yugi stood, talons tearing at his temples, wings arched in agony.

_I can't kill you. I can't kill you…why can't I kill you…?_

Yugi staggered forward, his silver eyes losing their focus, slowly shifting away from Mahaado. _The doors…you've left them open…_

Mahaado exhaled, a cold, shivering feeling passing over him. He had never bothered programming the doors to shut behind him, whenever he entered the laboratory; Yugi had always been human, always in full control of himself, and Mahaado hadn't expected him to transform, not with his old staff here. The staff's dark magic had prevented Yugi's vampire blood from taking over…at least, during the day. Mahaado couldn't understand – Yugi remained transformed, even though it was full daylight. Perhaps Mahaado's old staff losing its power; or, maybe…Yugi's vampire blood was growing stronger…

Mahaado heard the faint sweep of wings, and a shadow suddenly fell over him. Weakly, he fought to stand, but his body wouldn't respond – he was paralyzed with exhaustion, fully unable to move.

_You should rest, Mahaado, _Yugi's voice murmured in his head. He saw, with his left eye, Yugi's glowing irises gazing down at him. The red around the irises began to recede, the whites reverting back to normal. Yugi's pale vampire skin warmed with color, his long, writhing hair shortening; slowly, he changed, the dark wings folding themselves back into his spine, until he looked almost…human.

But his eyes still glowed, so demonically pale Mahaado had no doubt Yugi's vampire side remained in full control. Yugi smirked darkly, in a way that was shockingly uncharacteristic of him, his fangs gleaming.

_Sleep_, Yugi whispered, and Mahaado felt the last of his energy flicker, and drain away.

Darkness took him, his mind sliding into oblivion.


	9. Blood Intrigue

Through the wall of billowing smoke, Mana saw Yugi. Blinking, she stopped, stilling in surprise. The first thought that ran through her mind was _impossibility_– Yugi wasn't here, couldn't be here, in Battle city. But the person in front of her looked an awful lot like him; the spiky hair in several shades of black, red, and blonde, the purple eyes. Only Yugi and Atem had hair and eyes like that, but this certainly wasn't Atem – the skin was too pale, far too pale, and Atem had a manner about him, different from Yugi's, evident in the way he held himself, in the way he walked, that spoke of sheer, unquenchable confidence. The person in front of her possessed none of that. But then, though this person appeared to be Yugi, it couldn't possibly; yes, the eyes were purple, but just barely. They seemed more gray than purple, almost silver, and the skin…where Yugi's skin was nowhere near the bronze of Atem's, this person had skin that was so utterly white it gleamed, visible through the smoke. It was disturbing, almost creepy, so Mana stayed where she was, running through what options she had left to her. There was no going back to the place she'd just come from – she could smell the scent of burning metal from here, and there was the echo of screams, so harsh that she half-wanted to cover her ears, to block the sound. Behind her, there was nothing but corpses, and blood, and people dying…and she couldn't go back, because she had no weapon, had no means of saving anyone, so it would be useless, utterly useless, to do anything but go forward.

Still, she wanted to go back. Her years as a hunter hadn't quite taught her common sense – much to the detriment of her former teachers – and it seemed wrong, just completely wrong, to leave anyone to die, even if it meant her own survival. But going on ahead didn't appear to be too good of an option either, not with that strange Yugi look-alike person before her. Worse, it didn't seem as though the person was going anywhere, anytime soon; through the smoke, she could see that the person was standing just as motionless as she was, while the clouds of dark smoke, driven by hot wind, swept violently past him.

_Not good_, Mana thought worriedly. _Not good at all_.

There was a fair chance that he hadn't seen her. If she ducked down, allowed the smoke to completely obscure her form, then the possibility that this person, whoever he was, would simply move on without noticing her at all, was pretty marginal. And the way the person was standing, so entirely still that it was almost frightening, made hiding seem like a phenomenally intelligent idea. Without another thought, Mana lowered herself toward the floor –

The smoke shifted without warning, as something with incredible speed sliced through it, with Mana just barely managing to stifle a gasp of shock before that something took a brutal hold of her shoulder. Immediately, she felt sharp prickling against the flesh of her upper arm, as though someone were easing several needles into her skin. Then that feeling intensified from prickling into stabbing, and Mana was sure that there were knives tearing into her, driving painfully deep into her arm…

When she was suddenly released – so quickly her mind didn't have time to register _anything_– Mana stumbled gracelessly into a wall, half-reeling and dazed. Whatever had assaulted her was retreating, moving slightly away from her, but Mana saw a hand, white and bloodless, the nails long, curved talons, before it disappeared into the smoke. She blinked, confused. There was no mistaking it – that was a vampire's hand.

_Either I'm going insane, or…_

Mana clenched her teeth, and tensed. Her attacker was a vampire – never mind that it was supposed to be impossible for vampires to cross into Battle-city – and that meant that she had to move, and she had to move right now. Mana's legs wobbled a little, as a sudden wave of nauseous fear washed over her (all those people dead behind her, hunters, healers, children – did that mean that the vampire had slaughtered them all?) but she forced herself to ignore it, to stamp the rising terror down. Without a weapon, she was at a major disadvantage, but she wasn't entirely defenseless, either – and the smoke would slow the vampire, somewhat…

She saw something white and gleaming through the swirling gloom of the smoke, and she ducked, shifting her balance to the heels of her feet. Mana couldn't quite make out a specific target, but she supposed a quick guess would be just as good – so when she lashed out, her index and middle fingers aimed for what she hoped was a pressure point, she immediately followed up with a viciously fast kick. Her fingers met the resistance of muscle, and her foot was stopped by something that felt hard and unyielding. Mana's other foot came down, but there was nothing that signaled that she'd made any damage – a bad thing, considering that she was now caught in mid-air, and was overwhelmingly vulnerable.

Catching a split-second glimpse of the floor, she angled herself down, landing in a precarious hand-stand, before she fell, and rolled. The dark, roiling cover of the smoke was a two-edged sword; without it, she was sure that she would have been taken by the vampire before she could blink – but she couldn't really see much either, and that was a major problem.

_So I could still be vampire-bait, if I don't find my way out of here._

Fortunately, the universe solved the issue for her. As she scrambled somewhat gracelessly to her feet, she felt something beneath her give way, and she was suddenly slipping –

A hole. There was a gaping hole in the floor, and, with the way things had been going for her today, she'd had the beautiful luck to nearly fall into it. As it was, she was hanging precariously by one arm, her fingers clawing at the jagged, burned edge of what was left of the floor. And if she fell…

A quick glance down told her that she really didn't want to fall – there was nothing beneath her, except a blue expanse of sky, and some drifting clouds…

_Okay, don't panic, don't panic. Everything's fine – I just have to pull myself up, that's all._

Mana drew a long breath, and tried to heave herself back onto the precipice, strenuously ignoring the wind, which was tearing violently at her legs. She managed to gain a few inches, her shoulders now more above the hole than below it, but her spine was beginning to ache with the strain. Clenching her teeth, Mana continued to struggle, every ounce of her strength bent to climbing above the hole's precipice. Her muscles were screaming, and even though she forced herself to keep calm, there was true fear, tearing at the edges of her mind. If she let up, even for a moment, then the pull of the wind would have her, and she would fall, and keep falling, through the sky, until she met earth…

The edge of the precipice, half-melted and weakened by her weight, bent.

Mana only had thought enough to scream as she lost her grip, her fingers clawing futilely at open air, horrific, choking terror seizing her. She didn't want to die, not like this, not all alone…!

Something blurred before her eye, ridiculously swift – and suddenly she wasn't falling. Long fingers, pale and very nearly vampire white, held her wrist in an iron grip.

When the tears that had sprung up in her eye had cleared, she saw that the hand belonged a man with eyes the color of a storm, with spiked hair in several different shades of black and crimson and gold.

The Yugi-look-alike. Except…the more she gazed at him, the more she was suddenly sure that this _was_ Yugi.

"Mana," the man whispered, his voice low and hitched, and his eyes darkening with pain and recognition.

"Thank God. Thank God." It was him, it was him – her best friend was still alive, and he had saved her, and now she was safe.

Safe.

* * *

It was night, and the water, with its tall bronze reeds, rippled in the darkness. But there was light – small lanterns, burning white and turquoise, and deep red, hung over the pool of the pond. Serene. Yes, that was the word. This place was serene, and there was a quiet that he enjoyed, a stillness that he had not felt for what seemed like days, that lingered in the air. He decided that remaining here until the healers came would be good. The healers would come on their own time, looking for him; so, perhaps for the moment, he would have some peace.

Before, when Otogi had first arrived, it had been different. His mind, his heart, and a part of his soul – they had all been in chaos. He remembered very little besides the bleakness. Even now, when he closed his eyes, the memory of it – of being lost in an endless sea of searing white, stumbling and clawing and screaming in his consciousness but finding no way out, trapped, utterly trapped – rose behind his eyelids, and he released a shuddering breath.

Things were far better now than they had been. When he had finally woken from the terrifying whiteness of his mind, he'd been unable to speak, and his thoughts, for days on end, had been of wordless fear and uncertainty. He hadn't known who he was, or where he was, or how he'd gotten to this place, but with the passing of time, some of his memories had returned – though there were still holes, gaps in the places of his memory that he was sure were important.

In particular, there was a girl who constantly appeared, unbidden, in his mind. He could recall her clearly, her features almost vivid – and whenever he remembered her, her face was always set in anger, her eyes flashing blue and fiery behind a pair of glasses, and her blond hair bristling in her fury. The more he remembered, the more he realized that he and this girl were close, and that the girl – whose name was still lost in his memory – was an utter brat. But she was his brat, and he knew that he would do anything for her; she was his family, like a little, irritating sister.

He also knew that he had hurt her.

There was a soft sound, barely audible above the faint stirring of the pond reeds, but he heard it. Across the dark expanse of water, standing in the light of the lanterns, was a vampire. Immediately, he was on edge; Kisara had promised him that he would never be disturbed in this place, not by anyone. He was well aware that there were a number of vampires that chose to make their residence in the Keep, under Kisara's protection, but Kisara had never made mention of this one – a woman with darkly blue eyes, like the sky at midnight, and short hair that was a deep, luxurious brown.

She was very distinctive, in the manner of vampires – it was impossible to mistake one vampire for another, and this one was lovely, even for her kind. The strangeness of her presence wasn't lost to him; as he had recovered, Kisara had made certain that he knew of all of the inhabitants of her Keep. He had been grateful for that, as a part of him – the part that was instinctively wary and distrustful, and constantly sought to keep any and all danger firmly contained – desired some measure of knowledge and control of his surroundings. There were twelve vampires, besides Kisara, that lived in the Keep, and most of that number were male, with only five or so that were female. Of the five, all possessed features that were pale – pale hair and pale eyes, of various color, but nothing darker than the gold of a sunbeam at dusk. This vampire certainly wasn't one of those five, that much was clear, and yet she stood, staring at him from the other side of the pond, with eyes that pierced him...as though she knew who he was.

And she did. With a voice that was soft, but incredibly disturbing, she whispered his name. "Otogi."

Otogi was silent for a moment. "How do you know me?" he said slowly, though something in him whispered a quiet warning; this strange, unfamiliar vampire was going to reveal a truth to him, a truth that would be better left untold.

"I was sent to find you," she replied cryptically.

"What is it that you want, then?" There was no sense in beating around the bush – when dealing with vampires, it was better just to get to the point.

"Nothing," the vampire murmured lowly. "I desire nothing from you. But our mutual friend, Rebecca, is another matter."

"Rebecca," he said, tasting the name, allowing it to linger over his tongue. "Who is she to me?"

"So you don't remember her." Though her face remained expressionless, the vampire's eyes grew darker. "She is the girl who has worried for you, day and night, speaking of nothing besides you. But you don't remember."

A cold, sickening surge of guilt washed over him. "I'm sorry. I don't remember much of anything."

With a small sigh, the vampire closed her eyes. "No, I am the one who should be sorry. I should understand you, more than anyone else."

Otogi couldn't follow her – what did she mean by that?

When the vampire opened her eyes again, she leveled him with a gaze that was gentler than the one before. Slightly. "May I bring her here? Rebecca. She wants to see you so badly…"

"No." For the first time, an expression crossed the vampire's features – a soft, subtle anger. The feathers of her wings – which were starkly, brilliantly blue, like the heart of a flame – bristled. Otogi forestalled her. "I don't want her…to come here. I think it would be better if you took me to her, instead."

The anger wiped itself clean from the vampire's face. It was immediately obvious to him that she had no notion of his situation; if she had, she would have known that no one, besides Kisara and a certain allotment of healers, ever came here – Kisara had given this place to him as a kind of sanctuary, away from everyone else in the Keep. From the first moment he'd awoken, he'd been surrounded by healers, and, on occasion, Kisara – but never anyone else. Now he understood that it had been intentional on Kisara's part for him to be…hidden, his presence completely secret. He didn't quite comprehend Kisara's reasoning, but he did have some idea why she'd kept him away, obscured from the eyes of everyone of the Keep.

It was because the person he had been – Kisara told him that once, he'd been called the First-Captain of Battle City, leader of an elite force of hunters – was gone, lost in the white haze that had overtaken his mind. Even now, after weeks of recovery, he was aware of the truth: that he was a lesser person from the man that had ruled Battle City.

Whoever this Rebecca was, he didn't want her to come here, to this dark, out of the way place, just to see him. He owed it to Rebecca - to this girl of whom he strongly suspected was an integral part of his past – to at least go to her.

"But first," he said lowly watching the subtle play of emotion over the vampire's face, "before you take me, I want you to tell me about her – everything you know."

* * *

Mana's fingers were clenched tight over his wrist as they moved forward, into direct sunlight. The smoke here had thinned, and the scent of death was faint – for which he was grateful, because now his thoughts were clearing, and for the first time in hours, he could think without the smell of blood nearly overwhelming his mind. Ahead of them stood an entryway to the outside – a translucent crimson door, fractured with slivers of hot sunshine, and blue sky starkly visible beyond.

A spasm suddenly passed over Mana's fingers, and he felt, beneath her fingertips, the panicked quickening of her pulse.

"Wait, Yugi," she whispered, her voice suddenly hitched with the slight undertone of fear. "We're not going…we're not really going out there, are we?"

For a second he stopped short, the sound of his name eliciting a reaction close to pain. He closed his eyes, and forcefully smothered the rising ache, the vague anguish that roiled just beneath his skin. For one long, difficult moment, it felt as though something inside of him, something he was unable to name, was being torn in two – it passed, though slowly, after a few seconds, but a weakness lingered. Yugi drew a breath, and tried to steady himself…but he could hear Mana's heartbeat, could sense the delicate, swift pulsing of the blood in her veins, and the weakness intensified violently. Opening his eyes, he purposefully kept his gaze forward, refusing to look Mana in the face – the more he ignored her presence, the better.

But he still had to answer her; there was no sense in Mana becoming more frightened than she already was. "There isn't any other choice."

Mana snorted, and replied with some heat in her voice, "What do you mean, there isn't a choice? We can't just go out there – we don't know what's happening! There are dead people all over the healing sector, and there are even more people dying, but there's no way to even tell what's killing them – "

She cut herself off, breathing harshly, her fingers trembling against his wrist. A distant part of him wanted to comfort her – it was glaringly obvious that she was holding a rising terror at bay, but that terror was slowly, gradually, taking a hold of her. Mana had seen things that had shaken her, and yet she was trying to keep herself calm. She'd always been a hunter of fiery temperament, strong and stubborn when the situation called for it. But this…this was more than she could handle.

The moment he had seen her through the smoke, it had been evident even then that she was unsettled - he'd taken note of the minute trembling of her fingers, noticed the pallid color of her skin, heard the soft echo of her quick, overly shallow breathing. He had stilled, watching her for what seemed like an endless time, absorbing the vision of her standing in the smoke, shivering and paralyzed.

She had been the perfect prey. He had not been able to fight down the instinct - once she had moved, had lowered herself cautiously to the floor, he had no longer possessed the strength to retain his control. He had attacked, even while knowing full well that she was his friend, that they had grown up together, and he loved her, loved her deeply -

His teeth clenched against the memory. It had been so close. An instant longer, just another second caught in the insanity of his hunger, and he would have killed her. Even worse, he would have killed her, and enjoyed it; he could still feel the desire, dark and utterly obscene, to tear open the vital artery of her throat…

Mana wasn't safe with him. But she was his friend, the only person he'd seen since Domino had fallen. She still knew him as the Yugi from back then - someone worthy of her trust, someone to cling to, someone…human.

He couldn't hurt her. He wouldn't. But the hunger, the ravening, all-consuming thirst, was agony beyond anything he could stand; it was always at the forefront of his mind, ripping at the control, the steady discipline, that he'd built up over the years of his hunter training.

Unstable. He was unstable, and if it had not been for the memory of Mana - the remembrance of the irritating, bouncy girl that had forever hounded Ryou, ardently adored Atem, and had constantly poked her nose into Yugi's business, following him even when he tried to shake her - he would have torn her apart, sank his fangs into the side of her neck, and then...  
_  
__Stop. Stop now_. His body shook, color rapidly draining from his vision, until there were only dull shades of grey. Behind him, he heard Mana ask worriedly, "Are you okay, Yugi?"

For a nearly a full minute, he couldn't speak - his consciousness wavered, instinct rising, every logical thought blanking out. Mana called his name again, her voice distant; but the beat of her heart surged into an intense sound, like the echo of thunder.

He released a harsh breath, and took a staggering step forward. He was losing himself again, just like before; in the hours between his escape from the Battle city's ancient, abandoned laboratory - the prison imposed upon him by Mahaado - to the moment he had seen Mana through the haze of smoke, he had forgotten everything, and his mind had no longer been his own.

Yugi couldn't allow it to happen again. Air. He needed air, not the choking scent of smoke, nor the heady, subtle scent of Mana's blood, pulsing within her veins. He forced himself to say something, to answer Mana, whose heart was quickening with rising fear. "Fine. I'm fine," he whispered, though it was difficult. He took a chance, and glanced back, to meet Mana's gaze. Her right eye was dark, the pupil dilated with worry, and the scar that covered the other side of her face was livid in the extreme.

There was a padding of bandages over her left eye, but he knew that there was nothing beneath but an empty socket. And it made him angry - angry enough to resist the hunger, and the instinct to kill.

He knew how the injury had been inflicted upon her, knew everything that had befallen her since the attack on Domino. Her thoughts were open and unguarded and easy to detect, and thus her mind was his to read; still, he wanted her to give him the information herself. He needed to hear her voice, to remember exactly who she was to him at all times, if he wanted to keep his sanity. "You didn't tell me what happened to you - how you came to be here in Battle city. You should. Tell me everything."

Mana looked slightly taken aback, and her lone eye searched his. After a time, she replied, hesitantly, "I evacuated from Headquarters with everyone else. We tried to organize a fighting force with the hunters that evacuated with us, but everything was in chaos, and eventually I got separated..."

As she spoke, he slowly led her toward the translucent crimson door, listening to the low, dulcet tones of her voice, and all the while he connected his mind with hers, feeding her mental reassurances whenever she froze with anxiety. He understood her fear, knew that she was still shaken from her experience of nearly falling to her death, and perhaps even more shaken by the fact that Battle city had been attacked by some unknown force; Mana was strong, and incredibly skilled for a hunter, but every human had their own limit. He was pushing hers; if he hadn't compelled her mind that everything was fine, and it was perfectly safe beyond the door, Mana would have been too stubborn and terrified to follow him outside.

Gusts of heavy wind tore at their hair once they were past the door, the dark, silvery hull of Battle city gleaming in sun. Beyond the city's long, tapering crimson wings, something strange wavered and rippled, like a screen of smoke.

Mana stopped. "What is that?"

"A force-field."

She blinked, turning her gaze on him. "How do you know that?"

Because he had a large portion of Mahaado's memory, stripped from the man when Yugi had escaped from the laboratory. The span of Mahaado's memory was complex but well organized, and it detailed everything from the layout of Battle city to the events that Mahaado had most recently experienced. It would be...very useful, considering what Yugi now had in mind to do.

"It's common knowledge, Mana," he said, smirking slightly. She gave him a funny look, her single eye sharp and piercing, before she suddenly shrugged.

"I guess it doesn't matter." Her fingers locked further over his wrist, and she drew closer to him. "Just don't go all strange on me, okay?"

His smirk deepened, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw Mana frown. Beneath his mental grip, he felt her thoughts scream at him - _this isn't Yugi, Yugi doesn't smirk like that, it's out of his character, totally out of his character_- and for the first time, a seed of doubt, of distrust, bloomed within her mind. He soothed those thoughts with a touch of his own mind, and Mana relaxed, her frown disappearing. Ignoring the thrum of her pulse, Yugi gently wrapped his fingers over her hand, and led her further out, into the sunlight and wind.

Battle city's outer hull was immense, with the whole of it far larger than all of Domino. There were circuits and platforms of steel that stretched for miles, and towering windows and domes forged of some translucent, darkly crimson material. It wasn't long before Mana's mind was a whirl of confusion, and she clung so close to Yugi that her face was a bare inch from his back. The sight of Battle city's hull was overwhelming for her - as it would be for anyone, since it was nothing but a vision of vast, endless steel surface, like a sea of metal, broken only by the expanse of sky...and even the sky was somewhat gray, obscured by the city's force-field. But Mahaado's memory was extensive; the man had possessed knowledge of every part of Battle city, even of the outer hull, down to the tiniest detail.

Yugi superposed the man's memory over the expanse of the city's steel hull, and then moved in the direction of the north-eastern sector - toward the highest part of Battle city.

It was slow going; the heavy wind made it difficult for Mana to keep her footing, and she slipped often, cursing lowly under her breath each time it happened. Added to that, the sun made him feel...wrong, the heat of it over his skin disturbing and distracting. Had it not been for the smoky, opaque force-field surrounding the city, the light of the sun would have been completely unbearable. Even still, the presence of the force-field was unnerving - Mahaado's memories contained knowledge of force-fields, but of invisible ones, which didn't cut off the strength of sunlight. It was almost as if the force-field wasn't of Battle city at all - but that made absolutely no sense.

He and Mana scaled their way up to the north-eastern sector, leaping across the steel platforms and skirting around the high glass panes of windows where there was little footing. The sun grew so bright that Yugi clenched his teeth, his skin burning; and Mana, after nearly an hour of their constant ascent, was starting to become exhausted. The injury she'd taken to the side of her face hadn't fully healed, so she had only been working with half of her strength to begin with - and even though she gamely struggled to keep up with him, she was rapidly tiring, her growing fatigue palpable.

_Almost there_, he whispered to her mind.

Then they reached it. The wind blew violently around them, ripping at their hair, and yet the air felt almost thin; they were high, very high, to the point where the levels of oxygen were so low that they were nearly negligible. And still, there was the smell of smoke - faint, and mixed with another scent, one of seared metal.

Working from the intricacies of Mahaado's memory, Yugi located an entrance - a tall panel of dark crimson glass and steel, which stood in one of the sector's hidden alcoves. Pressing the tips of his fingers to it, he slid his hand slowly down, before rotating his fingers to the left; in the space of a second, the panel silently opened, releasing a small stream of white smoke and mist.

He smelled it immediately, and behind him, he heard Mana's harsh intake of breath, felt her muscles tense in horror. There was silver light emanating from the floor, but the floor itself glistened black - with blood. Armor glittered, and the thread of healers' coats glinted in the gloom; corpses, of both healers and hunters, were strewn everywhere. Yugi hardly breathed, the smell of the blood overwhelming. The desire, the dark, savage hunger, was on the edge of blinding him.

"Dead," Mana murmured, her voice deadly calm, despite everything. "What if everyone in Battle city is dead?"

With some effort, he said, "Not everyone is dead." He said it just to comfort Mana, but a part of him knew it was true - something had caught these hunters and healers unaware, but that didn't mean that the whole of Battle city had suffered the same fate. "Let's go."

Mana hesitated, her mind wary and uncertain - with good reason. This morning she'd woken to see her room destroyed, and a large portion of the healer's sector demolished; she had been completely alone, with only the sound of screaming ringing in her ears.

But she followed him, the hold that he held over her mind too firm to allow her to linger over the memory for longer than a moment.

They moved carefully around the dead bodies, toward the highest end of the north-eastern sector – which housed an area of the healer's sector where high-risk patients were kept, an intensive unit for those on the edge of death.

With Mahaado's memories, the unit wasn't difficult to find, but as Yugi drew near a semitransparent door, marked with angular, golden symbols, he stopped, going motionless. Mana stopped with him, nearly running into his back. She sputtered a little, and then went as still he was.

Beyond this door was where his mother had been treated, everyday since he'd brought her to Battle city. From Mahaado, Yugi knew that Ishizu, the head of the healers and the most powerful of them, had attended his mother, along with several other healers of master-level. He only sensed two presences behind the door, of which one was his mother, but the other…it was not Ishizu, nor any other healer.

It was a vampire.

Glass shattered as the door exploded – there was anger, there was hatred, and for an inexplicable, singular moment, he couldn't comprehend that the emotions were his, for he'd never experienced this before…this unending, uncontrollable rage.

His blood was on fire, and the sight of his mother, with the elegant, pale fingers of the vampire wrapped around her throat, incited a deep, murderous longing.

The vampire shifted her gaze to him, and a smile bloomed over her face, her eyes glittering with dark amusement.

"A visitor," she murmured. "How…interesting."

* * *

Kaiba's dragons were agitated. Shizuka could relate; there was something about this place that was unnerving, the very air tasting of something almost…otherworldly. She watched them for a moment, slightly worried – Kaiba had been gone for a while, and he was the only one who possessed any sort of power over his Blue Eyes. His dragons were aggressive, and Shizuka, with no small level of anxiety, wondered what would happen if they grew more restless than they already were; the destruction wrought by a White dragon in a rage could be amazingly catastrophic. Shizuka was sure that Kisara wouldn't appreciate a portion of her Keep being leveled down to ash.

Still, there would be little that she could do if Kaiba's dragons decided to destroy things, so Shizuka forced her anxiety down. Kaiba would hopefully return soon – after Kisara was done with him.

Lowering her gaze to her hands, Shizuka idly thought about healing. She felt stronger, now that she was inside Kisara's Keep, and her fingers held steady, not trembling like they had been only a few hours ago. Many of her people were already being tended to, and only those who possessed superficial wounds – or were merely exhausted, like Shizuka - were being left to their own devices. Still, there were those who had bruising and small gashes that, if left untreated, could become serious…and she was strong enough now that she could be of some help…

There was a soft whisper of sand shifting, and Shizuka looked up – a fought back the urge to give a startled scream. The largest of the Blue Eyes, so massive that her shadow blocked out the light, had silently approached, and now stood close enough that Shizuka could feel the slight crackle of electricity that lingered near the dragon's jaws. And that was far, far too close –

"Ah…" Shizuka said nervously, struggling to keep the panic tingling down her spine at bay, "can I…um, help you?"

The dragon lowered herself with delicate grace to the ground, the white sand rippling under the weight of her bulk, and released a breath, smelling of electricity, that washed over Shizuka. Then the dragon's head lowered, and with a muted flash of fang, the Blue Eyes pushed Shizuka – gently – with the tip of her blue-scaled mouth, until Shizuka was forced to sit down, onto the sand. It happened so quickly Shizuka barely had time to register it, and she blinked, so shocked it took several seconds for her to become confused.*

The Blue Eyes' serpentine neck lifted, her head drawing back, and those eyes – metallic, like the color of new steel taken from the flames of a forge fire – were half-lidded.

_Stay._

Shizuka stiffened. A voice in her head…she was going insane. It had been close to two days since she'd gotten any sleep, so there was a good chance that exhaustion was starting to get to her; but the way the dragon was staring at her, with a gaze that seemed to demand obedience, made her almost believe that it was the Blue Eyes – the Blue Eyes of all things! – speaking to her mind. Impossible, of course…and, if it hadn't been for the Blue Eyes' long talons encircling her, firmly enclosing her like a cat would a mouse, Shizuka would have completely dismissed the thought. As it was, it was rather difficult ignoring the dragon's blue-black claws, which were fully twice the length of Shizuka's own body, gleaming in the dim light. So Shizuka decided that it would be a good idea to remain where she was, and sit quietly, for the time being.

_Good_, that same voice murmured in her mind. _Rest, and don't move._

When Kaiba returned, moving across the sand with the silent ease of a shadow, Shizuka noticed that he nodded ever so slightly at the sight of them. She realized that Kaiba had conspired to keep her here, guarded by his dragon – as though she was some sort of invalid. Frowning, she rose, dusting grains of sand from her clothes.

"Kaiba. Call off your dragon."

"No. I think you're fine where you are." He approached, and stood just beyond one of the Blue Eyes' massive, glittering talons. The dragon made a sound, like a rumbling growl, but softer, almost a purr; her head drifted close to Kaiba, and a stream of her breath rolled over him, her lips rippling over her teeth in contented pleasure. Kaiba absently caressed the side of the dragon's jaw with the back of his hand. "There are some things you should know. That woman has a condition for us, if we desire to stay."

"That woman" was Kisara, and Shizuka could hear in Kaiba's voice the subtle inflection of his hatred; Kisara had allowed them into her Keep and had shown more generosity than Shizuka would have thought was possible for a vampire, but she doubted that Kaiba would ever possess anything other than malice for her. But Kaiba, as the highest ranking hunter of their number – not to mention one of the few who could still stand – was their leader, and he had agreed to meet with Kisara, to discuss the terms of their stay here. From his face, she knew instantly that things hadn't gone to his liking; his eyes were dark, the pupils reduced into pinpricks, and his skin was pale…with anger. Shizuka drew a breath, and braced herself – Kaiba was incredibly cool for a hunter, rarely given to any type of emotion, but he was angry now, extremely so, and it wasn't a good sign.

"Problems?" she asked quietly.

"Yes. That woman made it clear that her power here isn't absolute – she's answerable to twelve other vampires, for some reason or another. She's permitted us access to her Keep, but the others are a different matter." His teeth clenched, and she noticed a slight spasm pass over his fingers. "We have to present our case to those twelve vampires, and if we aren't deemed a threat, then they will consider allowing us to stay for an undeterminable amount of time."

Bad. That was the only thing she could call this situation. Kaiba, for all of his anger, spoke calmly – as though he was merely talking about the weather – but Shizuka understood the implication of his words: Kisara had no control over these twelve vampires, and if any one of those vampires decided to expel them from Kisara's Keep, then they would have to leave…probably immediately.

And even if they were allowed to stay, it would be at the vampires' behest, and their presence here would be, at all times, tenuous. Should any of those vampires grow displeased them, then they could be thrown out at any time – they would be at the twelve's complete mercy.

And that was the rub – vampires, in Shizuka's experience, knew no mercy. Shizuka wasn't so stupid as to hope that those twelve vampires would be anything like Kisara; there was a sort of kind, gentle aura Kisara exuded, which was wholly unvampire-like to Shizuka's mind, and there was little doubt that the twelve weren't of the same temperament. Vampires were cruel, and unforgiving, even in the best of situations – and this certainly wasn't anywhere near a good situation. They were hunter refugees from an infamous hunter-city, humans that made a living killing vampires, and were good at what they did; no vampire – besides Kisara – would ever consider them anything other than a threat to be eliminated.

Shizuka looked away from Kaiba, gazing at the surrounding, pale-sanded shore. It was lovely here, peaceful; she half wanted to close her eyes, to sink back into the sand, and forget everything for a little while. But for all of the alien beauty of this place, this new, underlying danger couldn't be ignored – twelve vampires, with no love for humans, much less hunters, waiting to judge them…

"What are we going to do?" she asked in a bare whisper.

She sensed Kaiba moving closer, and, flicking her eyes back to him, she realized that he was closer than she'd expected him to be – his hand only a few inches from her elbow. His eyes were still dark, but lighter than before, the color of a wave of the sea.

"That woman is going to convene with the twelve of them in the evening," he said slowly, his gaze intense. "When the time comes, she will…retrieve me, so I can hear their judgment."

Shizuka knew it rankled him to be called, like some sort of dog, by Kisara, and even more so to be held under the judgment of any vampire, so she touched his hand gently with her own – forgetting for the moment that this was Kaiba, and the man despised even the slightest gestures of affection. But he said nothing, and did nothing, to remove her hand.

"I'll come with you."

She expected him to tell her off, but instead, Kaiba gave her a hard, measuring look. Then he said lowly, "Do what you want."

If they went together, then there was a possibility that things might go more smoothly (maybe) and perhaps Kaiba – since the man could be exceedingly, ruthlessly rude, when he wanted to be – might even keep his tongue civil.

Not to mention that she would get a chance to ask Kaiba if he knew his dragons could talk.

* * *

Dartz was an overzealous idiot. His timing had been poor, and he he'd been heavy handed with his manipulation of the eradicators – Mai had barely avoided getting caught between the destructive beams emitted by the eradicators, and the answering counterstroke of Battle city's defenses. But she had to admit that without him, this delicious opportunity wouldn't have presented itself; now she had the chance that she'd sought over the long centuries.

_Ah, vengeance_, she thought idly, inhaling the intoxicating scent of terror. _I've waited so long…_

Domino's Head of the Council, the woman who had pulled the strings of that hunter city, now belonged to Mai. With a hand clamped over the filthy woman's neck, Mai regarded her dispassionately, hardly able to believe that this…_human_ was the enemy that she'd despised for years, the same creature that had nearly succeeded in destroying Mai. She even looked the same; the dark hair, mixed with tendrils of crimson and blonde, was unmarred by gray, and the woman's face was smooth with youth. In Mai's experience, humans tended to age with incredible swiftness – in the blink of an eye, they were born, and the next, they white-haired and wrinkled, treading close to the threshold of death. But the Head Council member of Domino hadn't changed in the slightest – the woman looked just as she had centuries ago, before she'd disappeared from the Imperial court…

Mai gazed a moment longer upon the face of her target, then flicked her eyes toward the two mortals that had so rudely interrupted their quiet reunion. Mai had been certain that she'd killed all of the hunters and healers milling about in the vicinity, but somehow she'd missed these two humans – not that they would prove to be much more than minor irritants. The girl, in particular, would be an easy mark; the long scar that traced the left side of her face spoke of a recent injury, one that was debilitating enough to leave her weak. Killing her would take no longer than a second.

The man however…he would be fun to play with. In his blood were faint stirrings of power, which was rather unsurprising, considering his strong resemblance to Domino's Head of Council. It was obvious that he was the woman's son; the hair and the amethyst-colored eyes were far too identical to think otherwise.

"So you've been breeding," Mai murmured idly to her target. The woman shivered, and tears trailed slowly down her cheeks. _How disgustingly pathetic_, Mai thought, smiling.

Taking care of the two humans first seemed ideal; Mai had wanted more private time with her target before she departed from Battle city, but that would have to wait until she and Dartz returned to the palace. If she lingered any longer here, there was the possibility that more humans – the survivors of Dartz's initial assault – would come here, and that would be a problem. Mai didn't have the time, nor the desire, to kill a countless number of hunters…especially considering that it was Dartz's job to do so.

With a careful caress of her mind, Mai ensnared the girl, embedding her own will into the girl's consciousness so deeply that the girl was unaware of the mental intrusion. In the space of a second, Mai had access to the girl's every thought, her wildest inclination, her deepest memory; the girl's name was Mana, and she was a hunter born of Domino, and there was fear – raging, nearly uncontrollable fear – flooding every corner of her mind.

Mai half listened to the girl's frantic thoughts. _Yugi's angry, and it's terrifying, oh, God… this isn't like him. Yugi's gentle, so much that he's a pushover sometimes, and if he ever did become angry – and it's been eons since I've seen him angry – it was never like this. I think…I think I'm more afraid of Yugi than of the vampire, but that's just stupid. After all, didn't I grow up with Yugi? Isn't he one of my closest friends?_

Amusing. The girl was hardly attentive to Mai's presence at all. Idly, Mai raised her hand, pressing her fingers to her lips, to contain the laughter bubbling in her throat. It was so perfect, so _easy _– humans were far, far too much fun.

_A friend_, Mai purred within the human girl's mind, _isn't someone you fear. Isn't that obvious? He isn't your friend. An imposter…yes, this Yugi is an imposter. He means to deceive you, to hurt you, to kill you. The real Yugi would never act like this – the real Yugi is always calm, always collected. Don't you remember?_

Mana's mind recoiled in confusion. _An imposter? But that doesn't make any sense…Yugi's angry, but I know this is him. He can't be an imposter._

_It's true. How long has it been since you've last seen Yugi? Weeks? For all you know, Yugi could be dead. And this Yugi, the false one, could merely be a vampire, using your friend's face to trick you. This imposter brought you all this way to die…_

_But…he saved my life. An imposter wouldn't have saved me. _The girl's mind flashed to a memory only a few hours old, of the man, Yugi, reaching down, his hand snatching her so easily from a fate of sure death. _I don't know how he got into Battle city, but I know this is Yugi…only Yugi would have had the good timing to save me at the last second…_

_Ah, but that is rather suspicious, isn't it? He was there, at just at the right time, only a moment after you were attacked. _Mana's eye widened, the pupil shrinking fearfully. Mai's amusement flared into full-blown pleasure. _A coincidence, perhaps? No. This Yugi is the vampire who attacked you._

Mai could hear the girl's heart slow, the breath in her frail human lungs hitching with shock. Mai pressed her harder, murmuring softly, lowly, _Your friend Yugi is dead. Domino was demolished, and with it, all of its strongest hunters. Even Kaiba, when you found him, was almost mortally wounded – and he was only second in strength to Atem. The true Yugi had always been weak. If a hunter like Kaiba nearly died, then Yugi certainly couldn't have survived. When Domino fell, the true Yugi fell with it._

Mana's lone eye grew murky, and her hands trembled slightly. _Then…what should I do?_

_Kill him_, Mai said smoothly, lowering her voice to a bare mental whisper within the girl's mind. _Kill the imposter, as he meant to kill you._

Mana's expression changed, from fear to utter compliance. _Yes, I'll kill him. I'll kill him…_

_Do it. Do it now._

* * *

For a long time, he struggled, fighting an inward battle with himself…but he was losing. His mother was in the grip of the vampire, afraid and weeping, but he stood where he was, hardly able to breathe. The anger was a seething, consuming, intractable thing, but he couldn't submit to it – he wanted to, God, he wanted to so badly, but he couldn't.

The human inside of him was returning to the forefront, stopping him from moving – from killing.

If the human part of him – the pathetic side of him that refused to stay buried – regained control, then he would be regulated back into a puling, pitiful weakling. The dark hatred, the burning, searing rage, felt so right…but his human half was awakening, and now it was interfering those emotions, suppressing them completely.

He needed the hatred and the anger; he couldn't let the human to take over again, he couldn't allow it to make him weak – !

_Be quiet_, he hissed desperately, but his human side continued to fight, the incessant noise of its instincts growing louder, until it was unbearable, painful. He wanted to kill, desired it so much he was shaking; the vampire stood only a few feet away, close enough that it would take just a second to reach her, only a moment to drive his talons into her throat...and then he would watch her blood splatter black and delicious across the floor...

He would relish it, revel in killing the monster that had dared to lay a hand against his mother. But first he had to suppress his human side again, force it back into dormancy -

Cool, slender fingers wrapped around his neck, and his eyes snapped down, to Mana's emotionless face. Shock rolled over him, disrupting the anger and the hatred, and he gazed into Mana's eye, and saw that there was nothing - no fear, no rage, no recognition. Her pupil was overly dilated, a dark shadow over her iris, with only a thin band of the iris's blue still visible. For a full second, Yugi made no move; confusion paralyzed him, more thoroughly than even the anger and hatred, and Mana's fingers tightened over his throat, with more power than he'd expected her to possess.

"Mana…what are you doing?" His voice was harsh, with Mana's fingers constricting further, slowly cutting off his air.

"He's dead. The real Yugi's dead, and you have the audacity to wear his face. Imposter. _Imposter_!"

She was under compulsion - the vampire had hypnotized her, convinced her that Yugi was her enemy. He hadn't even noticed when it had happened…he'd been too busy fighting with himself, and that had given the vampire more than enough time to take Mana's mind, and turn her against him.

_I'm not dead, _he tried to whisper in her mind. _I'm right here. I am Yugi._

The compulsion was a complicated weave, tied firmly around Mana's thoughts, far too intricate for Yugi to penetrate, and growing more complex by the second. Mana's fingers suddenly clenched violently, and he realized that the vampire was somehow adding to her strength, until there was enough force in Mana's hands to completely strangle him.

"I should have known," Mana said, "I should have known you weren't him. I should have known that you're nothing but a filthy vampire."

His blood froze, and a sound escaped from him - something that was half hiss, half choked-off scream. A wave of agony rose from her words; ever since he was a child, he'd lived in fear of his friends, of the people closest to him, discovering the secret of his vampire blood. Mana was under compulsion, her will no longer her own, and yet Yugi could sense the hatred, the utter revulsion, that solely belonged to Mana. The vampire had manipulated it, and twisted it in order to gain control over Mana, but that didn't remove the truth: deep down, if Mana ever realized he was a dhampir, she would revile him as a monster.

"You're right. I am filth," he murmured lowly, and he carefully reached out and took a hold of her chin. Calmer instincts were slowly seeping into the back of his mind, and he realized that his human side had seized control, the mind of his vampire half fading…though the hunger still remained. It felt almost as if he were waking from sleep - everything seemed suddenly clearer, and he understood what he had to do.

The compulsion's hold over Mana was too strong for him to break, but he didn't have to; once the vampire was dealt with, Mana's mind would be freed.

And since Mana already thought he was a monster, there was no need to hide it anymore.

Yugi's teeth clenched as he released his grip over his vampire blood. His hold over it had been tenuous even when his vampire side had been in control; now it was like holding lightning. Hot pain seethed in his veins, but he let go of it slowly – the mind of his vampire half was falling into sleep, going dormant, but if he relinquished his grip too quickly, it would awaken again, and take over. The power of his vampire side would allow him to do things his human form was incapable of, but he couldn't afford to have the vampire's instincts overwhelm him again…

Mana's lone eye widened, the pupil suddenly shrinking, and she opened her mouth to scream. With his opposite hand, he found a pressure point just beneath her jaw, pressed it sharp jab of his fingers, and her scream cut off abruptly, her eye rolling up into her head – she slumped forward, unconscious, but her hands maintained their grip over his neck. Yugi had expected as much; the compulsion cast over her was too strong to be broken, even in unconsciousness. As gently as he could, he unclenched Mana's fingers, and lowered her to the floor

Then he turned his gaze to the vampire. Her pale face was written with smug satisfaction, her eyes glowing faintly with pleasure. His mother struggled weakly in the vampire's grasp, clawing at the vampire's ivory white arm.

"How brutal of you," the vampire murmured, "attacking your friend like that. You need better manners, I think. Humans are so coarse." The vampire sighed softly. "Such a shame. You should have had the grace to let your little friend kill you. I didn't really want to waste any more time, but I suppose there isn't much choice. Be a sweetheart and die for me, will you?"

_No, I don't think so_, he said, and seized the vampire's mind. She jerked, her palely purple eyes flickering, and her wings flared out in panic.

"Impossible – "

_Put my mother down. Slowly._

The vampire trembled, shaking her head in silent denial – but she obeyed, and his mother slid to the floor, with a small gasp of pain.

Yugi moved forward, and the vampire took a step back, the smug expression of her face wiped away in favor of fear.

"How? Mortals don't have this sort of power. Humans aren't capable of compulsion…"

Before, whenever his vampire blood had been freed, there had always been pain. It was different now – though he couldn't understand why. In place of pain, there was a sort of numbness, with the hunger a roiling, savage force beneath. When the wings tore from his spine, he hardly felt it; the desire for blood, the unending thirst, dominated his thoughts, until all he could feel was…anticipation.

His mother had curled into a shivering ball, and she sobbed uncontrollably. A small part of him wanted to reach down and take her into his arms, to offer her comfort; but now wasn't the time. He doubted his mother would accept his touch, anyway – not with him like this.

And besides that, the hunger came first.

The vampire had backed herself against a wall, the feathers of her wings – the pink of a blooming rose – flush against the wall's silvery, reflective surface.

"Let go of me. Let go of me!"

He calmed her with a brush of his mind, transferring soothing thoughts into her consciousness; in the space of a second, she had stopped shaking, her wings lowering to the floor, the bright gleam of panic disappearing from her eyes.

The intricate tracery of her veins was mesmerizing, and he ran a finger over her neck, felt the thrum of her pulse. He leaned in, and whispered close to her ear, "Mai. Why are you here?"

The vampire released a harsh, sharp breath. "I-I can't tell you that."

"You can." Battle city had been attacked, but it was not all Mai's doing – he could sense that much from her. Gently, he tilted her head, exposing the length of her neck. "You can, Mai. Tell me. Tell me."

There was obviously a plot to destroy Battle city, just as Domino had been destroyed – and once he discovered what that plot was, he would be able to make his next move. Mana and his mother had to be protected, at all costs…and if protecting them meant defending Battle city, then he would do so.

But first he needed blood. Once his hunger was sated, then there would be no more danger of his vampire instincts overwhelming him again. The vampire would lay dormant in his mind, and he would be free to focus on more important things.

Like finding his brother…and Anzu.

His fangs sank into Mai's throat, and her blood, hot and coppery and electrifying, was more delicious than anything he had ever known.

Yugi's wings arched, spreading to their fullest extent, his talons lengthening, and rending deep into the dense steel of the wall.

There would be time for guilt later.


	10. Ultimate Dragon

Hmm. This has been a long time coming; forgive me, I'm a rather slow writer. Hopefully, I'll finish this story within the year. Hopefully. As always, thank you all for your support, and please forgive any typos.

Also, if you haven't already, please check out Anzu Fan's story, _Sudden Hope._ I assure you, you won't regret it.

* * *

She wanted to curse, to cry out, to beg for help. But there was no one, not Dartz, certainly, and she had no friends, nor allies of any sort. She was alone. Still, the fear of dying forced her to keep trying - to keep looking for the tiny details that might save her. Darkness crept over the edges of her vision, and she felt cold. No vampire had the right to feel cold. It was wrong. It was disturbing.

She was going to die.

Mai caught flashes of different things. She saw the dhampir's hair as it writhed, tendrils of it wrapping over her arms. His wings opened, and they reminded her of a darkened sun, of an eclipse at noon. He was young, so very young. Not even into his first century yet, and so he was younger than even the smallest vampire child. Embarrassment traced her spine. It should have been impossible for him to entrap her. He was nothing, a half-blood abomination, a freak. And yet he had subdued her with the softest touch of his mind. Mai had been reckless, absolutely foolish, for this to happen. She had to find a way to free herself, now, before the dhampir took the last drop of her blood…

Another flash, but this time what she saw was in her mind's eye. _Oh? What's this?_ She thought, intrigued. His thoughts were like bursts of lightning, vivid and brilliant and swift.

_…His mother was there, tall and dangerously imposing, her anger frightening. Atem was injured, the wound taken some time during a mission. It was no minor thing, either - there was blood everywhere, and the healers whispered of a possibility of infection. And where had Yugi been? Close, but not close enough. Atem had grown irritated at him, had snapped angrily that Yugi had no business trailing him anywhere. So Yugi had followed behind, out of sight, far enough that Atem wasn't aware of his presence. It had been a mistake. The vampire had come out of nowhere, and Yugi hadn't reached his brother in time… _

_His mother's full arm slap staggered him. He met her eyes, saw the hatred so stark within them, and whispered, "It won't happen again. I swear."_

Mai felt weak. Half of her blood was gone, at the very least. But the dhampir's memories were enthralling, and she realized that he was woefully inexperienced, to allow his thoughts to bleed into her mind like this. And it came to her that she could exploit his inexperience, if she played her cards right.

Another flash came, on the heels of the last.

_For the first time he could remember, she held his hand. Atem was not here, so he wondered if his mother had mistaken Yugi for his twin. It had never happened before, but it was dark here, and maybe his mother couldn't see him properly… It felt good - no, better than good. He couldn't make himself let go of her fingers. They were warm, gentle, and for a minute, a strong sense of comfort rose within him, and he felt utterly safe. Shyly, he gazed up at her. Bits of sun light lingered over her hair, and for once, her face held a kind, soft expression. It was odd, seeing an emotion other than extreme coldness on his mother's face. But if she thought that he was Atem, then it would only be natural that her face held happiness. _

_"Mommy," he said, forgoing the use of her title, "I'm not Atem. I'm…" _

_"I know who you are." Yugi blinked confusedly, suddenly frightened. His mother knew he wasn't Atem, and yet she still held his hand? He didn't understand. For all of Yugi's life, he'd known fully what was expected of him: to be strong, never for a moment showing weakness, to train until he was utterly, absolutely perfect. And he had to do everything on his own, for there was no one, and there would be no one, to help him - especially not his mother. He was to fulfill her expectations. So long as he did that, his mother would have no issue with him. But he didn't have the same relationship with her that Atem had - one where Yugi could simply hold his mother's hand, or hug her, if he felt scared. _

_Yugi had always been encouraged to never touch his mother. She was the Head of the Council, and an important person. It wasn't the same for Atem - for Atem was important, too. So, why were things different today? _

_His mother led him to a dark place, down deep, away from sunlight. There were cells here - small, cramped spaces with bars of thick silver. It smelled bad. Yugi shivered. _

_"Mommy, why are we here?" _

_His mother said nothing. Her fingers released his hand, and instead rested on the back of his neck. She pushed him, firmly, toward a cell that was bigger than the others, which reeked of a disturbing, foul scent. _

_The bars of this cell were black, and beyond them, there was darkness. Yugi couldn't see anything - - and then a hand, overwhelmingly pale, reached out from the cell without warning. _

_He jumped back, suppressing a scream, but the hand, with its long talons, took a hold of his wrist. "My sons," hissed a desperate voice, "have you seen them? You've seen them. I miss them, I miss them…please tell me where they are." _

_For a split second, Yugi couldn't believe his eyes. How had Atem's friend, Ryou, gotten into this cell? But no, this wasn't Ryou - Ryou didn't have eyes with blackened whites, and irises that glowed golden in the dark. And Ryou certainly didn't have wings. _

_It was a vampire - a vampire that shared Ryou and Bakura's features, the angles of their faces and the white of their hair. Her wings, pale as her hair, the feathers stained with filth, began to tremble. _

_"Please tell me," the vampire whispered, her demonic eyes filling with tears of blood. "Tell me where they are." _

_Yugi's mother leaned down, murmuring softly in his ear, "Little Bakura and Ryou's mother is like you. A dhampir, a half-blooded monster." His mother sighed, her fingers tightening over his neck. "She once was a healer of power, and her talent was unmatched by any other. But now she has lost her humanity." _

_Yugi felt himself trembling. Ryou and Bakura's mother continued to stare at him, weeping and pleading, and a surge of absolute fear rose within him, until Yugi was sure that he would vomit. The vampire - the dhampir - held his wrist so gently within her talons, her fingers warmer than even his mother's, but Yugi wanted to run away, and never look back. _

_He felt his mother's hand slid down his cheek in a gentle caress. "The moment you lose yourself, the very second you allow your humanity to slip away, you shall share her fate. I will lock you down here, and you will remain in darkness for the rest of your existence." Her fingers cupped his chin. "Do you understand? Don't lose control, Yugi."_

Her mind was steadily falling into a haze. The dhampir's memories continued to leak into her consciousness, until she was drowning, consumed, unable to differentiate between herself and him. His memories were her own; she felt the pain, the desperation, the shame of living half-human…and it was torturous. Mai couldn't bear it - this had to stop now, before she went insane.

She took a chance, her only chance, and fed him a memory of her own

._…There was a beauty, a certain grotesque loveliness, in the burning forms of the two vampires. They were a mated pair, and beneath the white-hot caress of the blue flames, they held each other's hands, even as they both screamed. Mai felt vaguely disgusted. The smell of burning vampire flesh, and the soft laughter of Pegasus, left a foul taste in her mouth. Still, she stood and watched, for it was good to understand the King's power; Pegasus, it seemed, was more a force to be reckoned with than she'd first thought. _

_In the dark heights of the court, thousands of glittering eyes gazed upon the burning traitors. It pleased Pegasus to make a public spectacle of their deaths – a warning to anyone who thought themselves strong enough to stand against him. Mai snorted slightly. Those two vampires, of the line of Mazaki, possessed Imperial blood more noble than Pegasus could even fathom– if things had been as they should be, Pegasus would have been kneeling to them. But somehow the King had conspired to have them destroyed, and the nobles of the Imperial court said nothing, did nothing, to stop him. _

_The feathers of the two vampires' wings were curling and withering in the flame. Mai had heard, a century or so ago, that these vampires, the last of the Mazaki blood, had had a child, a daughter. No doubt Pegasus had feared his position as King - his crown had been taken through ill begotten means, though that had been so long ago that few vampires even remembered it. But the Mazaki vampires, with the birth of their new daughter, posed an extreme threat to Pegasus, for they could trace their bloodline to the first Ancestors - rightfully, they should have taken the ruler-ship, not Pegasus. But the Mazaki pair had always been rather passive, even somewhat peace-seeking…and thus, in the Imperial court, they were all but pariahs, outsiders who had rarely ventured beyond their home over the ocean. Mai had never even seen their child, and she supposed that now she never would. It was a near certainty that Pegasus had disposed of the girl, though Mai was thoroughly surprised that Pegasus hadn't burned the daughter with the parents. _

_The flames continued consuming the vampires' immortal flesh, and Mai gradually grew more sickened at the sight. It was one thing to conquer, to take hold of power by any means necessary, but even Mai could not avoid the truth: this was a deed of utter monstrosity. If Pegasus had the sheer audacity to destroy the Mazaki vampires and their child - outcasts, yes, but still heirs of the purest royal blood in the Imperial court - then he would have no trouble snuffing out any one else he deemed a threat. Mai would have to be cautious - certainly more cautious than the Mazaki nobles, who had done nothing but return to the Imperial court, to ask that the King's favor be given to their child… _

_Dangerous. So very dangerous. And yet, Mai suspected that Pegasus wasn't the sole danger - his queen, Cynthia, was even older than he, and certainly more powerful. There was little doubt that Cynthia's vast power was integral in Pegasus' hold over the throne, but there was something else - someone else. Mai's gaze shifted from the burning Mazaki nobles, to the vampire who stood close to the torrent of blue flame, and yet was somehow hidden, form obscured in dancing shadow. The noble was only a few feet away from Mai, with eyes glowing in the light of the flame, a smile written over pale, perfect features._

_The vampire noticed Mai's regard, and those glowing eyes turned to meet Mai's gaze_.

_The noble smiled. A wave of cold feeling washed over Mai, and she suddenly realized that she was afraid - afraid, because the noble's smile was more chilling and sinister than anything she had ever seen. Even worse, the noble's shining eyes were utterly disturbing - a vampire's eyes only glowed in deep pleasure, or in the hunger of blood lust. _

_A voice, soft and almost lulling, murmured, "Ah, Lady Mai. A glorious morning, wouldn't you agree?" _

_Slow comprehension dawned on Mai. This noble was unfamiliar, and yet somehow not; Mai was sure that she'd never seen her before, but for some reason there was an odd sensation of déjà vu, as though Mai had met this noble, and had known her, sometime in the past. Still, the dark hair, with tendrils of deep red and paler blonde, was a feature that Mai had never seen in any other vampire of Pegasus' court. This noble certainly wasn't of any of the Imperial bloodlines that Mai knew of, but there was no denying the power, sheer and almost crushing, emanating from the noble in waves. _

_"Yes," Mai said haltingly, "a very beautiful morning," The noble laughed, her silvery-purple eyes glowing even more brilliantly. "A graceful death is an exceedingly appropriate fate for traitors to the throne. Pegasus always did possess a fondness for exquisite loveliness. And you, Lady Mai. I have heard that you, too, have an appreciation for beauty." Mai's eyes narrowed. The noble's frightening smile deepened. "The crown of the King, I think, would suit your taste. It is almost as lovely as these flames." _

_Mai's blood froze in her veins. This noble knew. How, Mai couldn't even begin to guess - only recently had Mai begun her bid for power, and she had taken the utmost care not to even allow a hint of her scheming to become known to the Imperial court. Not even Mai's staunchest allies were yet aware of her machinations for the throne. _

_It could be no accident, then, that Mai had never once seen this noble. The King had countless open supporters among those of the Imperial blood, so it made sense that he also possessed agents who moved covertly - right beneath the eyes of the court. Mai had suspected it for a long time, and she had been doubly careful to cover her tracks, just in case Pegasus decided to use one of those agents to watch her. _

_Apparently, she hadn't been careful enough. This noble, a creature of frightening power, was aware of Mai's conspiracy against Pegasus. Mai's thoughts immediately shifted back to the Mazaki pair, who, in truth, had done nothing deserving of death - their screams were just beginning to fade, as the flames of Pegasus' Executioner's fire consumed their bodies down to ash. If it got out that Mai had committed treason, the blue flame of the Executioner's fire - its caress hot enough to burn the flesh of any vampire, even the skin of a Dawn runner - would be a paltry child's punishment, compared to what Mai would experience. Mai had taken the consequences into account long ago, and she had considered them insignificant, every time she gazed upon the King's crown. But now her plans were discovered, and Mai couldn't understand how - she had been exceedingly careful, spinning out the web of her schemes so slowly, so precisely, that for centuries she'd had to fought off madness, the insanity that had grown as she'd waited for the right moment. _

_Mai stared back at the noble, unsure of what to make of this vampire, with her insidious glowing eyes. Just who was she? _

_"My dear Lady Mai, my identity is not so important," the noble said, and Mai fought back a scream of absolute fear. "But some would call me a friend of the King…yes, a very close friend…"_

She was sliding down to the floor, her body unresponsive. The dhampir, his eyes burning, stood over her. Her blood coated his mouth and throat, darkly crimson against the blazing paleness of his skin. Mai struggled to breathe, a feeling of agonizing weakness overwhelming her.

But her heart was still beating. He hadn't taken all of her blood. With difficulty, Mai flicked her eyes up. The dhampir - Yugi - was so much like the woman who had once been the right hand of Pegasus, the nameless noble who had so easily driven Mai to her knees. She shivered, smothering the soft sob rising in her throat. The mother had destroyed her, had stripped Mai of everything she'd held dear, until Mai was nothing but the pet of the King; and now the son, a pathetic half-blood, had finished what his mother had started…

_What awful irony,_ Mai thought absently, as her mind began to fade. She was losing consciousness. Pitiful. _I should have killed him the moment I saw him._

It was Dartz's problem now. Mai would have laughed at the thought, but she needed what little strength she had left. With immense effort, she whispered, "Your mother is a monster."

The dhampir's eyes, glowing an unholy white, met her own. Mai forced herself to keep speaking. "She is a monster, but she has gotten her due. Sealed in a human body, never again to know her original vampire form…it's no wonder she despised you."

Mai's vision was going dark at the edges, but she couldn't help but look into the dhampir's gaze. She had known his mind, had seen his every memory; she felt closer to him - an abomination who had ruthlessly taken her blood - than she ever had to anyone else. She was well aware that he'd stopped just short of drinking the last dredges of her blood - something a full-blooded vampire, in the throes of bloodlust, would never do - but that didn't change the fact that he was a creature far monstrous than even his mother. There was a reason the union of vampires and humans was forbidden; dhampir were too unpredictable, too dangerous, to be brought into existence.

And this dhampir, Yugi, was more than dangerous. His mother, when she had still held her vampire form, had possessed mental capabilities that surpassed that of any of the nobles of the Imperial court - and perhaps even surpassed Cynthia's. The dhampir had inherited his mother's mental abilities, but he was young even in human terms, so he'd had little of the time it took for a vampire to properly mature into power.

Not to mention he was insane. Mai had seen what his mother had done to him, how she'd tortured him. He'd divided his mind - separated his human side from his vampire side - just to keep a small semblance of sanity, but he had succumbed to madness a long time ago, in his childhood. It would have been interesting to see him cross paths with Dartz. Exhaustion rolled over her, more darkness creeping over her vision, but Mai could almost see it - the mad dhampir, confronting that arrogant, blue-haired wretch…

It would be beautiful. The dhampir would die, of course - Dartz was a toe-licker, true, but he was still one of the more powerful nobles. A mere half-blood would have no chance against Dartz, and though it was painful to think of it, Mai knew that Dartz wouldn't be taken off guard, like she had been.

With the last bit of her energy, Mai breathed, "By the time the sun sets, Battle City will be completely annihilated. There is nothing you can do, dhampir."

Her eyes closed, her heart slowing. Distantly, she heard his voice.

"I won't give up like you did."

And somehow, Mai felt relieved. _Good_, she thought. _Good_.

* * *

He fingered the gold within his hand, remembering the feel of it, struggling against a sense of terrifying familiarity. There was a sound of foot steps, so light and nearly inaudible, behind him. The Queen, her wings brilliantly pale, drew close to him. He allowed her to touch him, felt deep, shameful pleasure at the caress of her fingers as they brushed against his cheek.

"My love," she whispered, and he couldn't ignore her. He wanted to - a part of him despised her, but that part was going silent, and he could feel nothing but longing, a desire to be at her side whenever possible. Her fingers traveled down his face, and he turned to look at her. "It has been a long time. I have missed you."

Atem had not seen her in several days, and the sight of her, the unnatural perfection of her features, and her hypnotic, glittering eyes, made him shiver. His hand clenched, and he fought to keep himself from reaching out, from returning her disturbing touch.

"What is this place?" he said, voice harsh.

Cynthia sighed. She drew even closer to him, her arms wrapping around his shoulders. "I think you already know, my love. I have never allowed anyone else entry here, and yet you have come all on your own, and the safeguards I placed here didn't even stop you. This is the Shadow Realm, my hunter prince. Do you feel it? The power. Even the Millennium Items react to it."

She was right. The Puzzle in his hand was hot, and the rest of the Items, which lay in a pool of silk cloth upon the ground, were all but glowing.

Atem breathed, drawing in the air, which was somehow damp and dry at the same time. The sky overhead was overwhelmingly dark, black and purple and deep red. The Queen's palace was always covered in darkness, but this was different; there was something about the sky that looked almost…alive.

"It is alive, Atem. More alive than even you can imagine." The Queen laughed, and Atem felt his blood grow hot. "Shall I tell you why you've come here?"

"No," he said, fighting the urge to say _yes_, because he knew it was what she wanted. In his heart he realized that he was terrified of her - terrified, because he was deeply, insanely in love with her.

"Hm," the Queen murmured softly. "I think you do want to know, my love. In the days of my youth, I had a vision of you, in this place, in the palace of my ancestors. I saw you long before the first hunter had been conceived, when my kind fed upon humans and each other, without an ounce of restraint. A savage, beautiful time it was, Atem. Seas of blood, dark cities built upon the bodies of humans and vampires alike, with death lingering in the very air. I saw you then, fighting in this Shadow Realm, battling another…a dhampir who shared your face."

Atem stiffened. He couldn't breathe. _She can't mean…?_

"Ah," she whispered, "are you interested now, my love?" Her fingers moved to his hair. "Your brother will come for you, to save you from me. But you, Atem…you are going to fight him here, and kill him."

Atem wanted to recoil away from her, to deny her words - he would never hurt Yugi, he would never even consider it. Never. But the Queen's fingers were trailing down to his neck, sliding smoothly, gently, over his spine. Atem closed his eyes, struggling to turn away from her, but the Queen took a hold of his chin.

"Fate, my dear Atem. You cannot escape it." Cynthia cupped her hands to both sides of his face, her violet eyes glowing brilliantly. "So don't even try."

She drew his head down, and kissed him, softly, on his cheek. That tiny part of him, the part that still resisted her, felt ready to vomit. But the rest of him was racked with a shivering, aching weakness, an inexplicable urge to pull her closer to him.

Her lashes brushed the skin of his cheek as she whispered, "If only you had been my child. Everything would have been far, far different."

Atem shook uncontrollably. He wouldn't kill Yugi - he couldn't. But the Queen…he would deny her nothing. His brother…his brother…

"It won't be so difficult," Cynthia murmured. "After all, you won't remember him, will you?"

The memory of his twin faded from his mind. "No," he said hollowly, "I won't."

* * *

The doors slid open without warning. Ishizu jerked, her eyes snapping up. Beyond the doors, there was darkness, but something screamed at her - a primal fear, an instinctual, overwhelming terror. _Pull yourself together_. Ishizu couldn't afford to start jumping at every shadow. There were things to be done, people to be healed - this absolutely wasn't the time for her to be panicking. Vivian trusted Ishizu enough to evacuate as many people as Ishizu could manage into Battle city's safe-hold. With Mahaado suddenly gone missing, the responsibility of leading Battle city's hunters had fallen solely upon Vivian's shoulders - an insane prospect, with Battle city partially destroyed, and countless people dead… But Ishizu had faith that Vivian and her hunters would take care of the outside threat; Ishizu had never known that woman to fail at anything, especially when things became dire. Right now, Ishizu had to concentrate on getting her healers and her patients to safety.

The safe-hold was close, and most of the healers, the threads of their coats flashing in the dim light, were either guiding the injured or pushing the beds of patients. Ishizu lingered behind, to make certain that there were no problems - there was too much chaos, too much fear, and Ishizu wanted to be sure that absolutely no mistakes were made. Another shudder suddenly shook the hull of the city, and Ishizu pressed a hand to a wall, fighting to keep her balance. The sooner they were in the safe-hold, the better.

She looked away from the doors, smothering the forbidding feeling that rose within her at the sight of them. They had opened on their own, but there was no sense in becoming afraid - the tremors that were shaking Battle city could have easily forced the doors' mechanisms to open on their own. There was nothing to worry about - it was foolish of her to fear, and she had to stay focused, now more than ever.

_Ishizu._

She jerked, a scream catching in her throat, but she held it, just barely. It was better not to scream, to stay quiet, because there really was no sense in panicking everyone else. The vampire emerged from beyond the doors, his eyes glowing much like hers did in the gloom. A wave of cold fear rose within her, but those eyes held her, and a soft, lulling calm suddenly rolled over her. The vampire held a woman in his arms - one of Ishizu's patients, the Council member of Domino whose legs had been crushed. Behind him, the girl Mana, with her single eye, followed sedately, apparently unfazed.

_Ishizu. Will you help Mana and my mother?_

His mother. Of course. It made sense now - this was the vampire who had infiltrated the healer's sector, the one who had nearly killed all of Battle city's captains. But Mahaado had destroyed him - or at least, the Co-commander had claimed so.

Mahaado had lied to her, it seemed. But that didn't matter now, for the vampire was here, and Ishizu was powerless to stop him.

"You've hypnotized me," Ishizu said slowly, fighting back the frustration that welled within her; she stood motionless, utterly paralyzed, unable to move. "So I really don't have a choice, do I?"

The vampire gazed at her for a long moment. _My mother needs you. Mana needs you. Help them. Please._

The vampire's mother trembled violently in his arms, small, agonized sounds issuing from her lips. The woman was going to die, no matter what Ishizu did - Ishizu had known that before, and the woman's condition now only reinforced Ishizu's conclusion that she would not survive much longer than a few days.

_No. Don't let my mother die, Ishizu. Don't let her die._

A powerful sense of pressure lapped against the edges her mind. Ishizu released a strained breath, and reluctantly nodded. "I will do what I can," she said. "Even so, I won't promise anything." His mother probably wouldn't live for too much longer, but the force of the vampire's will was too much for Ishizu to bear - she would try, with all of her strength, to save his mother, even though it was futile.

_Thank you._ With surprising gentleness, the vampire placed his mother into Ishizu's arms. His mother's eyes fluttered open, and her hands closed desperately over the vampire's wrist.

"What are you doing? Don't leave me, Yugi. You can't leave me!"

The woman was growing hysterical, and Ishizu struggled to keep a hold of her, without hurting her.

The vampire reached out and carefully touched his mother's face. The woman stilled, trembling only slightly.

"Everything will be fine. Ishizu will take care of you." The shock of hearing the vampire's voice - the soft gentleness of it, so different from his monstrous, terrifying appearance - unsettled Ishizu, and she frowned, thinking hard. It was strange to think that this vampire was the same creature who had violently humbled Otogi's fourteen captains. But the sound of his voice calmed his mother further, and Ishizu was able to hold her with little effort.

The vampire gingerly took a hold of Mana's hand, and placed it on Ishizu's elbow. The girl said nothing, her fingers clenching firmly where they were placed, a sleepy smile crossing her features.

"Mana is asleep," the vampire said. Hearing his voice again, Ishizu was struck by how human he sounded. "If you guide her, she will follow you. Her mind is awake enough for that, but not for anything else."

"I understand." The girl was under his compulsion, like Ishizu was. It made sense. "What are you going to do?" Ishizu was more than curious about that.

"There is a vampire outside of Battle city. He was sent by Pegasus to destroy every hunter here." The vampire's demonic eyes shifted briefly to his mother, and then he returned his gaze back to Ishizu. "I need a sword."

"The metal forge is beneath this level. That is, if it hasn't been destroyed already."

The vampire nodded and turned, vanishing back into the darkness. Once he was gone, the pressure over Ishizu's mind lessened a little, and she released a small sigh.

She was getting too old for this.

"You have an interesting son," Ishizu said idly, thinking that the vampire was actually a dhampir, like Otogi, since his mother was perfectly human.

The woman shivered, whispering, "He hates me. He has always hated me."

Ishizu thought of the dhampir's voice - so disturbingly human in its gentleness - and shook her head. "No, I think you're mistaken. I doubt he would risk his life for someone he hated."

"He should hate me," the woman said, her voice cracking in a sob. "He should. I deserve it. I am the reason he is a monster."

Ishizu sighed again as she started to move toward the safe-hold. The woman was becoming feverish. "But he doesn't. That's all that matters, isn't it?"

* * *

Mai was late. The woman was an incompetent, an arrogant little fool, but he had not thought she would take this long. Her task had been so exceedingly simple even a human child could have accomplished it. Dartz gazed hard at the blazing mass of Battle city, the black spheres of the eradicators spiraling upward in the dark haze of smoke. The destruction of the hunter city was almost complete. He flicked his eyes up to the sky. The sun was moving toward the west. Night would fall in only a matter of a few hours.

It was time to administer the final stroke.

Mai was perhaps dead or captured, he was certain. There could be no other reason that she wasn't here yet. Truly, Dartz had expected better from Mai, idiot though she was; if she had succeeded, she would have gained substantial freedom from the King. Dartz would have thought that that would have been motivation enough not to fail…

_What a shame, _he thought idly. _Mai was so beautiful…and so stupid._

Well, there was nothing he could do. Pegasus had been perfectly clear about Dartz's orders, and Dartz certainly had no intentions of failing, as Mai had done. Twilight was nearing; the sky was utterly red with the setting of the sun. He had already waited long enough for Mai, and there was little sense in waiting even a moment longer.

He flew slowly up, through the dark clouds of smoke. When he was high enough, he closed his eyes and listened. Different sounds, of humans screaming and the high-pitched screeches of the eradicators assaulted him, but he listened beyond it, beyond even the soft crashing of ocean waves.

Then he heard it, the deep thrum of a monstrous heartbeat. Dartz opened his eyes, and beneath the darkly blue surface of the sea, he saw the oily glitter of scales, the immense undulating coils too gigantic for the ocean to fully contain.

He smiled. Pegasus had been careful with the phrasing of his commands to Dartz - he was to leave nothing, not even the smallest scrap, of Battle city behind. And Dartz was too happy to oblige.

"Come, Leviathan," Dartz whispered softly to the wind. "Come and visit your wrath upon these pitiful human weaklings."

It would take some time, as it always did. The Leviathan, when it was fully awakened, was a force strong enough to devastate the entire world; and it nearly had, in the days of the first Ancestors, before it had been tamed. So Dartz had to exercise caution, even now - the creature would come at his call, but he could not allow it to waken completely. The Leviathan, even partially awake, would be more than enough to destroy what was left of Battle city.

Releasing a breath, Dartz flared out his wings, forcefully slowing his heart. He focused his thoughts, concentrating only on reaching the Leviathan's mind. Making the connection was simple; the Leviathan was still in a sort of deep torpor, its thoughts full of darkness and memories of the ocean depths. Keeping it mostly asleep, however, was the difficult part. Dartz closed his eyes again, and pushed at the Leviathan's mind, gently, so very gently. It stirred, and Dartz sent it subtle commands in the form of images - Battle city, crushed beneath the might of its coils, steel hull cracking like glass from the strength of its body.

_Destroy, _Dartz whispered to it. _And then sleep, once more._

He felt the creature's wordless assent as it stirred itself further, primitive hunger blossoming in its mind.

_Feed?_ It asked slowly, curious. _Souls?_

_Yes. Many souls, humans…hunters…you shall have them all._

_Good. Very good_, it said, before going silent.

Dartz opened his eyes. The red sky was becoming dark - not the natural darkening of twilight, but a darkness cast by the clouds of a storm. Perfect.

He glanced back down at Battle city. A good portion of it was in flames, with its force-field reduced to a thin, flickering barrier. Dartz noticed something, a speck flying out of the city so fast his eyes could hardly follow it. Whatever it was, it was inconsequential. The hunters would be mounting the last line of their defenses, so he kept his attention focused solely on the city, to be certain that there weren't any unfortunate surprises.

It was a mistake. He felt the wind suddenly shift, and he moved - so the sword, blade glittering, didn't take his head. The sword's edge nicked the skin of his throat instead; Dartz immediately closed his wings, and plunged.

He wasn't fast enough. The wielder of the sword was diving with him. Dartz saw a glimpse of the sword's silver blade, and dark wings - another vampire. It made little sense.

The surface of the ocean drew uncomfortably close. Dartz had no desire to dash himself against the waves - certainly not at this speed. He leveled off, his wings snapping open. His pursuer was right behind him, shadowing his every move.

_Enough of this. _Dartz called for the eradicators. One came speeding out of the plumes of dark smoke, shrieking. He swerved as the eradicator flashed by him.

There was another sound of shrieking, this one so high pitched it was painful to Dartz's ears. He turned on a wing-tip, to face his attacker - and saw the strange vampire slice through the black sphere of the eradicator with one swing of that sword.

The two halves of the eradicator fell smoking into the sea. _How…unexpected_, Dartz thought, regarding his opponent. Several more eradicators followed in the wake of the first, but instead of attacking the dark winged vampire head-on, they circled him cautiously.

_These eradicators are smarter than average. Still…_

The sky had blackened completely. Dartz could feel the distant warmth of electricity, the hot taste of lightning seething in the back of his mouth.

The vampire's sword took two of the eradicators within the space of a second. The third released a beam of concentrated energy, but the vampire avoided it - so easily, as though it were child's play.

_Well. Let's see if you can dodge this. _

An immense bolt of lightning arced down, and struck the dark winged vampire in a flash of searing white light.

Wind tore at Dartz's hair and wings. Weather manipulation had never been his forte, but with the Leviathan stirring beneath the waves, his own power had grown three-fold.

_That was an interesting diversion_, he thought idly. The nicked skin of his neck tingled. _A vampire fighting for hunters, with a hunter weapon…perhaps he was one of those filthy rebels._

It was time to get back to the business at hand. Whoever that vampire was - or rather, had been - he was no longer a threat. The lingering light from the bolt of electricity dissipated, and Dartz's vision cleared.

There was a sound of wings. Dartz felt the cool edge of a blade travel down the side of his face. Desperately, Dartz struck with the force of the wind, and the blade was pushed back, before it could slice its way into his throat.

It seemed that the sword and the strange vampire were intact, not disintegrated in to ash, as they should have been.

"You're persistent," Dartz said to the vampire, smothering a vague feeling of shock. This vampire was fast, to have avoided that bolt of lightning. Looking at him, Dartz could see that the lightning had inflicted some damage - the vampire's left arm hung limp, the skin darkened somewhat by a severe burn.

The damage would heal, of course. But there was still the matter of Dartz _allowing_ his opponent that healing time - and Dartz had ever been one to capitalize on an advantage.

He slammed the vampire with another wall of wind, readying a second lightning bolt.

He might as well have some fun.

* * *

There wasn't a word for it. Chaos was too general, too weak - if Vivian had been in a more descriptive mood, she would have said it felt like a hurricane, a firestorm, and an earthquake all rolled into a single, shattering moment.

And the worse part of it was, she'd never felt more focused. More alive. Otogi was gone, Mahaado was missing, and the smell of hot metal and burnt flesh permeated the very air. The remainder of Battle city's hunter force now looked to her, and every person who had survived was now here, in the confining space of the safe-hold. Vivian would have preferred the control core to this place - except that all the paths leading to the control core were either destroyed, or in flames. So she would have to make do.

"Co-Commander," said one of her captains. Honda. "The remaining sensors have transferred some information. The attack has stopped."

Vivian wondered if a normal person would have felt more relief than she did. There was a vague sense of it, but Vivian felt more excited than anything. Outwardly, however, she held herself to calm. "What is the condition of the main thrusters?"

Honda grimaced. "Their energy levels are at forty percent. And dropping."

Forty percent. Vivian tapped a finger to her lips. It would be enough, but just barely, for what she had in mind.

"Mainframe," she said, addressing the automated computer system of Battle city's mind, "power the thrusters to full-throttle. Use the previously set coordinates."

The floor suddenly rippled with veins of green light. "The coordinates set by Mahaado?" the disembodied voice of the Mainframe asked.

"Yes."

Honda looked at her in alarm. "Co-commander. You can't mean…"

"We don't have any other options left to us. If we stay here, we die."

"But if we go to that place, we'll still die."

Vivian sighed. "It's a matter of perspective. Mahaado believed we would have a chance. And that's the chance we have to take."

Honda's eyes hardened. "Mahaado could be dead, for all we know."

For a second, the tense excitement in Vivian's chest transformed into a raging panic. Quickly, she suppressed it. If Mahaado was dead, there was nothing she could do about it. "Perhaps. But that changes nothing. It's either Kisara's Keep, or a permanent grave here."

The man lowered his eyes, and turned, walking away from her. She knew how he felt.

If Mahaado was wrong, they were all going to die.

"Mainframe," she said. "Time."

"Three minutes until full power up."

_I trust you, Mahaado. I hope you knew what you were doing._

* * *

She watched from the shadows. Distantly, she heard Rebecca climbing arduously up, muttering small curses every so often. Anzu fought down a sigh. So Otogi hadn't been able to keep the girl from coming. She had thought, after so long obsessing over him, that Rebecca wouldn't have left the man's side for anything. And Otogi, in that first meeting between them, had gazed at Rebecca so intensely…

Anzu reached out with a hand and took hold of the girl's wrist. Rebecca gave a little frightened yelp, and nearly fell back. "Anzu! I didn't know you were here…"

She heard the unspoken _And if I did know, I would have gone up the other side, to avoid you. _

Anzu knew that she shouldn't bother wasting her breath with a rebuke. This was the last place Rebecca should be; really, if she was perfectly honest with herself, Anzu shouldn't have been here either. But Rebecca even less so - the girl's injuries probably would have healed by now, if she would ever just stay in bed.

"So. Did I miss anything?" Rebecca asked.

"No," Anzu said, glancing down. Kisara had yet to make an appearance, but twelve vampires had already taken their places upon separate platforms.

Rebecca plopped on her belly beside Anzu. "Excellent. I wouldn't want to miss a good show."

"This isn't entertainment, Rebecca," Anzu murmured. The girl glanced at her, and had the grace to look ashamed.

"Indeed it isn't," said a voice above them, "but it is interesting."

Rebecca jumped, but Anzu looked calmly over, into the green eyes of Otogi. She had heard him several minutes ago, so his presence here was no surprise. The man closed his wings behind him, until there was only the merest glint of grey feathers in the darkness.

Rebecca pouted at him sullenly. "You followed me."

"Brat," he hissed. "You told me you were going to bed."

The girl blinked guilelessly at him. "I lied."

_Obviously_, Anzu thought, turning her gaze downward – thoroughly ignoring the sudden argument which exploded behind her.

For a while, nothing happened. The twelve vampires stood stock-still upon their platforms, and there was no movement whatsoever. And then…motion. Two figures, one tall and cold-eyed and armored, the other slighter, demure, in a coat that was ivory white, moving slowly to the center of the main platform. Anzu stilled. She recognized them.

Kaiba and Shizuka, a pair of humans she was sure she'd never seen before. But their names seemed so fresh within her mind, and their features were familiar. Still. How had she come to know a hunter and a human healer?

_Perhaps the same way I know Yugi._ The face of that hunter, his intensely purple eyes, lingered in her memory, sharp and vivid and completely inexplicable. More memories were returning to her, but slowly, and they were nothing but fractured facets of images; at times she felt as lost as she had when she'd first arrived here. Even Rebecca, who had, after Anzu had located Otogi, gleefully spilled her guts as to what had happened in the cavern – even she hadn't been much help. But now, looking down at the two humans, Anzu felt a something, a small sliver of hope. She would remember everything. _Eventually. _

Rebecca and Otogi finally finished squabbling, and Rebecca asked in a low voice, "Are those the two?"

"Yes," Anzu replied. Kaiba and Shizuka, it seemed, were the representatives of the massive force of hunters who had come to Kisara's Keep some days ago, to ask for a place of respite. Anzu only knew a little of what was going on, but it didn't take a great leap of logic to understand that whatever was happening, it was dire. The faces of the twelve vampires were each expressionless, but to Anzu, they all looked ready to pass some sort of judgment.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Rebecca push her glasses further up over her nose, in a nervous gesture. "This is bad, isn't?"

"Of course it's bad," Otogi said, idly folding his arms to his chest. "Those twelve vampires hold the fate of hundreds of hunters in their hands. Vampires have never held humans in high _esteem_." He glanced at Anzu. "No offense."

"None taken," Anzu replied. She thought it strange, though, that he said that – considering that he was half vampire himself.

The dark abyss beneath the platforms suddenly glowed with brilliant orange light, and the twelve vampires, one by one, slowly closed their wings.

It was starting.

Rebecca jumped up. "What's going on? Kisara's not even here yet!"

"That's the point, I think," Otogi said through clenched teeth.

_This is a problem, _Anzu thought. _This is_ _a major problem._

* * *

His blood splattered into air. The pain was sharp and dizzying, but he ignored it. Angling his sword, he plunged it into Dartz's stomach, the steel of the blade hissing as it slid into vampire flesh.

And Dartz laughed, throwing back his head in amusement. "This is priceless! You pitiful, half-dead little wretch, what do you think this will accomplish? You've lost. Admit it." The vampire took hold of the sword, forcing it deeper, until dark rivets of blood dripped thickly down the hilt. "And now, since you've so generously given me your weapon, I'll put it to good use."

Dartz back handed him, hard enough that Yugi was momentarily stunned. His fingers loosened from the hilt of the sword, and Dartz's talons closed over his shoulder. He could feel it - what the vampire intended to do, and what would happen if he didn't move fast enough to avoid it - but he couldn't react.

_Move. _

Yugi managed it, somehow. His wings swept open and entered the down-beat, but it wasn't enough. Dartz removed the sword from his stomach faster than thought, and stabbed the blade into Yugi's chest.

It missed his heart. Still, the pain, after everything Dartz had dealt to him, was overwhelming. His skin smoked, and the steel of the hunter-wrought blade began eating away at muscle.

With his uninjured hand, he took hold of the naked edge of the sword - the part that wasn't buried so close to his heart.

Too late.

Dartz laughed and kicked him. The sword tore free in a spray of crimson blood, and he was falling, through clouds and sky, toward the rolling dark waves of the sea.

_Open your wings. Open your wings, now._

Things had gone badly from the beginning. With Mai's blood in his veins, he had never felt so strong, so powerful. Even the sword had hummed in his fingers - and with every swing there was a feeling, an exhilarating sense of power. He should have been terrified of it, but he had been so focused on stopping Dartz, that he had allowed that feeling to consume him. It had been a mistake - he had engaged with Dartz head-on, without thinking for a moment to exercise caution.

But Dartz was old. Mai's memories spoke to that - Dartz was as old as Pegasus. Shadi had taught him that the oldest vampires had power so vast it was unspeakable. The first bolt of lightning Dartz had thrown he'd barely avoided; but the storm had grown, the seething black clouds releasing one bolt of electricity after another, and Yugi had begun to slow, the near misses wearing upon his strength, until…

…Dartz, still wielding the bolts of lightning, had closed in, and it had become a battle of attrition. Between Dartz's talons, the driving winds of the storm, and the lightning striking nearly every other second, Yugi had been out-matched, and out-fought.

_Open your wings, or die._

It couldn't end here. His mother and Mana were still aboard Battle city. He couldn't allow Dartz to destroy it…

_Open. _

His wings flared out, the caress of wind forcing them open to the fullest extent. But he was still falling. There were skewed images - the smooth black surface of the sea, roiling black clouds, a jagged flash of lightning.

The ground rose up to meet him.

It was a long time before he came back to full awareness. There was pain - deep, stark agony. And cold. Everything was cold. Instead of the waves, he had somehow collided onto a sliver of rock, a miniscule island, in the middle of the ocean.

_You are a fool. _

A bolt of lightning struck, and for a split second, a brilliant flash illuminated white skin and dark wings. Glowing silver eyes gazed down at him hatefully.

_Because of you, we've lost. Mother will die. Mana will die. And everyone else will die, because you're so weak._

This wasn't happening. It couldn't be happening. His vampire half was asleep, locked in slumber, and there was no way…just no possible way…

_I was never asleep, _his vampire side said. _Even when the seal separated us, I didn't sleep. But when I remained silent, you were always content to ignore me._

Hot, violent pain seared his wound, but he forced himself to stand. His lips pulled back from his fangs in a snarl. "You don't exist. You've never existed - you're nothing but a monster."

The image of his vampire half sneered. _Whose form are you wearing, human? Who was the one who drank Mai's blood? Not me. You. Haven't you realized it yet? You're the monster. And you need me._

"I've never needed you - "

_Like I said, you're a fool. You've tried to bury me all of your life, as though it would make any difference. And what did that get you? Nothing. Nothing but weakness. _For a moment, a look of absolute rage crossed the vampire's face. _I'm tired of living in darkness. I desire freedom - and I don't want to fight you anymore for it. So, let's make a deal._

Yugi whispered, "No. Never." He would not - ever - agree to anything his vampire side would offer. He would be better off dead…

_Mother and Mana will die, including countless others on Battle city, if Dartz isn't stopped. So it looks like you don't have much of a choice. The wall of the seal is no longer between us. We were always meant to be one person - before Mother sealed us, we were whole. It is time we became whole again. _

It was what he'd always feared. Yugi couldn't do it. If he allowed his vampire side to take over completely, then he would be nothing but a monstrosity, blood-thirsty, unfeeling…

_I won't take over, _his vampire half insisted._ Whole. We will be whole, and stronger than before. Strong enough to take on Dartz._

A trade-off. He would have strength, but he would never be the same again. If Yugi became one with his vampire side, he would be a completely different person. And there would be no going back.

The image of his vampire side stood, and held out a hand. _Time is running out. Do we have a deal?_

Yugi hesitated. Could he even trust his vampire side - the part of him that thought of nothing but blood and death? The part of him that would relish ripping out even the hearts of the people closest to him?

He really was weak. But…if he didn't do this, Dartz would kill every single person in Battle city. Before Yugi could change his mind, he took his vampire half's hand.

As soon as their hands clasped, image of his vampire side smirked, then faded like smoke - and Yugi woke, his eyes flying open, every nerve on fire, the world dissolving into exquisite agony.

* * *

He flew over the pale expanse of the sea, with Rebecca held tight in his arms. To his left, the Anzu kept pace with him, her blue wings matching each stroke of his own wings. The sky was fading into deep night, and among the bright swirl of stars, there was a sliver of a white moon. The faint light from both stars and moon was comforting; he didn't need either to see, of course, but he felt strangely at ease, flying in starlight and moonshine.

Rebecca's heart pounded rapidly, and despite everything, Otogi couldn't help but share in her excitement - the thrill of flying never got old, and he could almost taste Rebecca's exhilaration each time his wings entered the downbeat. He wished he could have taken her flying sooner, when the circumstances would have better than they were now. Later - he would take her flying again later, when all of this was finished.

Anzu was pulling ahead of him. Otogi, catching a glimpse of her expression, allowed himself to fall behind her. He didn't know exactly what was at stake for her, but the intense glow of her eyes - that pale, inhuman ice-blue - was a dangerous sign.

_I hope she keeps it together,_ he thought. The moment she had laid eyes upon that old, one-eyed vampire, Akunadin, Anzu had almost seemed a different person - a person that exuded an air of barely restrained violence.

But Anzu remained in control of herself, and within a matter of moments, they reached the opposite end of the Keep. The blue feathers of Anzu's wings ruffled in the wind as she closed them, diving down, toward a dark, cave-like opening. Otogi followed suit, clutching Rebecca tighter to him as he gathered speed.

They passed into a tunnel, nearly pitch-black, illuminated only by the faint glow of a few light circuits. Rebecca's heartbeat went wild. He imagined it was somewhat terrifying for her, flying at such a speed in the dark - unlike him, she did not possess copious amounts of vampire blood in her veins, and this tunnel was just a mass of blackness to her eyes. But other than her suddenly erratic heartbeat, she remained calmly still in his arms.

He flared out his wings as they emerged from the tunnel. Out in the open, the air was different - intensely charged, and it felt as though his blood was beginning to spark beneath his skin, growing electrified.

Anzu was already landing, her wings furling so elegantly that, if Otogi hadn't known better, he would have thought she was perfectly relaxed, and not a thin thread from being fully, and totally enraged.

Otogi released a breath. "Rebecca. Are you sure this is the place?"

Kisara was nowhere to be seen. This part of the Keep - with jagged pillars of metal thrusting up from the violent, wave-blasted sea - was empty of activity, save for the pale, seething sea itself, tossing a roiling like a thing alive.

Rebecca made a snorting sound. "When have I ever been wrong? The Keep's mainframe said she would be here. Or at least, when I accessed it, it told me that this was her most recently recorded coordinates."

That didn't change the facts, though. Kisara wasn't here; there was a good chance that she had been here, and they'd just missed her, but Otogi wasn't so sure. Rebecca was a good little hacker - a phenomenal one, really, so much so that it was a bit scary - but a mainframe, any mainframe, no matter if it was of vampire origins, could easily be fooled. He highly doubted that Kisara had wanted interference of any kind, and so the likely-hood that she had purposefully skipped off the mainframe's radar was pretty large. Still, the mainframe's information was all they had to go on.

_So. Kisara's not here. Then where is she? _They had to find her as quickly as possible, for the sake of the Domino hunters.

He landed, and Rebecca squirmed out of his arms like some restless child, immediately going to Anzu's side. The blue-winged vampire woman stood at the edge of the massive pillar, looking beyond, out into the God-forsaken, storm tossed sea.

For a moment, Otogi worried. _We really don't have time for this. If we don't find Kisara now, then those twelve pieces of vampire filth are going to wreak all sorts of havoc. _

He hoped that the leader of the Domino hunters, the foul-tempered Kaiba, possessed enough sense to keep his mouth shut, and the fortitude to obey the vampires for a while - galling though it might be for him. Otogi had little doubt, with the way things were going right now, that a fine bit of chaos was about to descend; and if Kaiba put a foot out of line, then there was an overwhelmingly huge chance that his people would be killed, down to the last person, without mercy. And, if Otogi's fears were correct, there was just as much chance that he, Rebecca, and Anzu would be killed with them - if they didn't get Kisara back into her Keep.

_Our own bad luck to be here, with a hostile take-over in process. Kisara picked a poor time to run off and play hero._

Rebecca's voice interrupted his thoughts. "Hey, Otogi. Are you seeing this?"

He drew to her side, and looked out with them, over the surface of the white ocean. In the sky, there was a…disturbance.

"Well, that's new." he murmured.

There was a gaping, vertical rip above the sea. And beyond it, he saw deeply blue waves and a sky dark with the clouds of a storm.

Not to mention Battle city. The gigantic, smoking mass of the city was clearly visible beyond the rip - and it stirred something inside of him, an ache, and he shook, tasting an unnamed desire over his tongue.

Home. He longed for the taste of it, wanted it so badly he almost took off then and there.

"Kisara was here," Anzu said, her voice soft. "Looks like we just missed her."

The vertical rip in the air was closing - slowly, but pretty soon it would disappear all together.

"So, are we just going to stand around looking at it?" Rebecca asked.

"No," he said. "Let's go."

"Wait, Otogi." Anzu glanced at him, gaze hard, and suddenly she spoke mind to mind with him. _We can't just take Rebecca into that. Kisara didn't leave the Keep for nothing. Battle city is under siege, and if Rebecca is there with us, she'll be in danger with us, too._

"Stop that," Rebecca said angrily. Anzu's eyes snapped to her in shock. "I can hear what you're saying, and I'm not staying behind."

"Anzu has a point. If you come with us, you'll be in danger." Otogi sighed in resignation. "But if you stay here, and one of those vampires comes along…you'll be in worse danger."

Rebecca nodded. "Right. So the only logical decision is to take me into the path of the least danger. Makes sense, right Anzu?"

"Yes," Anzu said, and there was something in her tone that Otogi didn't like. Her pale blue eyes met his. "It makes perfect sense."

* * *

The other side of the rip was like some small, contained piece of hell. Bolts of white and black lightning tore through the air, and there was the scream of metal, and the sound of burning. But that was far from the worst of it. Anzu forced her wings into a steady, harsh rhythm, gaining altitude, until Battle city and that…_thing_, were far enough below her that she could think.

Otogi shadowed her, and they circled, high above the clouds.

_So, what are we going to do now? _Otogi sounded furious, and Anzu knew that he would rather be down there, charging mindlessly forward at that monster. But Anzu had played her cards right - Otogi was still holding Rebecca, and as hot-headed as the man could be, he wouldn't do anything to endanger her.

_I'm going to help Kisara, _Anzu answered. _You're going to stay up here and keep Rebecca safe. _

She heard the man mentally sputter, but she was already folding her wings, diving back into the storm clouds.

In the shadow of the clouds, Battle city loomed over the ocean, its size immense and nearly mind-boggling. If this had been another place and time, Anzu would have been amazed at the sheer, gigantic mass of the hunter city, and even more amazed that human hands had forged a flying steel ship huge enough to block out the sun. But for all of Battle city's nearly impossible size, it was dwarfed in the coils of a frighteningly gigantic monster, like a small bird trapped in the choke-hold of a snake.

_Leviathan, _her mind supplied.

So, the old vampire Akunadin had been telling something of the truth. Kisara did have her hands full, outside of the Keep - she was too busy fighting an ancient creature of absolute destruction, and Anzu supposed that this was an incredibly good excuse to be absent when the hunters of Domino needed her. With the way things were going now, though, even if Kisara managed to save Battle city, she would not be able to return to her Keep - not with Akunadin, and those other eleven vampires, scheming to wrest it out of her control. The chances that they would be successful in their take-over was high, and there was little doubt in Anzu's mind that Akunadin himself would make good on his threat to slaughter each of the Domino hunters, should it become evident that Kisara was no longer an obstacle…

Anzu knew Akunadin's nature well enough; he had, after all, been an instigator in her parent's deaths.

Pushing back the sudden onslaught of new - old? - memories, Anzu sped in the direction of the Leviathan, carefully avoiding the bolts of black lightning plunging from the clouds.

The Leviathan was rearing back like an agitated serpent, its coils loosening from the Battle city's steel frame, its mountain-sized head intently focused on the small, pale speck that hovered close to its jaws.

Kisara turned her head slightly at Anzu's approach, those metallic eyes emotionless. _Anzu, _she said, not bothering to speak aloud. _You shouldn't be here._

And for the first time Anzu could remember, she sensed that Kisara was…angry. The woman's anger was like a cold fury, and it terrified Anzu even more than the Leviathan's massive head, looming above them.

_Trouble, _Anzu replied. _Akunadin - _

_Yes, I know_. Kisara's eyes turned back to the Leviathan. Unfazed. Didn't she care?

_Kisara, Kaiba and his hunters are in danger. Akunadin plans to lock you out of your Keep…_

_Of course, _said Kisara. _I'm very much aware of Akunadin's schemes. But my question, which I pose to you again, is why are you here?_

Anzu was taken aback. _I came to warn you - _

_And put not only yourself in danger, but also Otogi and Rebecca as well, _Kisara said, her mental voice icy. _You would have been safer if you'd simply stayed where you were. Akunadin is treacherous, but he does not possess the power to challenge me - nor do the rest. He can do nothing._

Anzu wasn't so certain. She didn't understand how Kisara could be so callous about this - Akunadin was more than a mere schemer. He had orchestrated countless deaths, of vampires and of humans; perhaps even more than Pegasus had himself. Kisara couldn't possibly think that he wasn't a threat - not when Akunadin was responsible for destroying the lives of thousands of vampire nobles, including her mother and father -

_So. Your memory has returned to you, _Kisara murmured thoughtfully. _I had hoped that I could give you a longer respite, but it seems I've failed in that as well._

Something stilled within Anzu. _What do you mean?_

_Not now_. The pale-haired vampire stretched out her arm, her fingers pointing toward the east - in the direction of the Keep. _Take Otogi and Rebecca and go._

Anzu briefly considered arguing. Kisara…she seemed so sure that Akunadin wasn't a problem, but Anzu had seen they way he'd regarded Kaiba and Shizuka. Like they were ants - tiny little human vermin to be crushed. The other eleven vampires were clearly in his thrall, and there was no doubt in Anzu's mind that they would follow Akunadin's lead. As powerful as Kisara was, if those vampires took over her Keep…

_I can fight,_ Anzu said, leveling her gaze upon the Leviathan. _I can help you, Kisara._

For a long time, the woman said nothing. Anzu wondered if Kisara had decided to ignore her, but after a moment, she said, _You are still young. If you stay here, the chances are that you will die._

Somehow, though she didn't doubt Kisara's words, Anzu felt a flash of irritated stubbornness. Or was it arrogance? _I won't get in your way. Let me fight with you._

The Leviathan, its mountain-sized jaws parting, began to sway, eyes brilliant as twin suns growing suddenly brighter. It released a roar - weak, but the sound of it was still strong enough to leave Anzu's ears ringing in agony.

Kisara sighed. _It seems…that I have no choice. The Leviathan refuses to submit to my will for a second longer, and since you, Anzu, are so adamant in your desire to fight, I will let you._

The muscles of the Leviathan's gigantic neck rippled, its jagged fangs gleaming - the monster suddenly roared in earnest, its head rearing back, like a snake preparing to strike.

And then it was surging forward, and Anzu had time enough only to fold her wings and plummet, the monster's jaws passing uncomfortably close.

In free fall, Anzu concentrated only on the flat, dark surface of the sea, ignoring the terrifying feeling of pursuit; the Leviathan's head was chasing her, and Anzu could smell the monster's cold, ancient breath, leaking between fangs that were much too close for comfort…

How was she supposed to fight this thing? Anzu knew that she should have thought of that sooner, before she'd asked to fight by Kisara's side, but Anzu had never been much of a…fighter. She had always preferred to wait until the right moment presented itself, before striking.

_Just as I did with Yugi. _

The very thought of him gave her an idea. She opened her wings slightly, swerving to the left to avoid crashing into the waves. The Leviathan's head swerved with her, the glitter of its scales reflecting mirror-like over the surface of the sea.

She couldn't use her fangs, of course, but hopefully, her eyes would be enough. Anzu had nowhere near the power of Kisara, who had held the Leviathan easily with her mind - perhaps for hours - but it was worth a try.

Anzu swerved again, in a tight arc, angling herself toward the Leviathan's head - specifically, one of its great, burning yellow eyes.

_I hope this works._

* * *

She was beautiful, really. He had not seen her since he was a child, some several millennia ago, when she had still dwelt within the Imperial court. She had been beautiful then, too - before she'd tainted herself with that human, and born him those four disgusting dhampir children.

"Blue-Eyed Kisara," he said, gazing upon her pale, silvery wings appreciatively. He had always been a fool for gorgeous vampire women. "It is an honor."

"I wish I could say the same." She leveled impassive, cold eyes upon him. "What is your mission here, Dartz? Besides destroying another hunter city."

"Ah. Cutting right to the chase. You seem impatient, Lady Kisara. Perhaps you're worried about that little girl, the one pitting herself against the Leviathan? Is she your daughter? Not much of a resemblance, but she possesses great beauty. Young, but her wings are lovely. It would be shame if the Leviathan were to devour her."

"She is none of your concern."

"Of course. I should answer your question, shouldn't I?" He smiled. "Our dear King has deemed it necessary to recall back wayward nobles. There is one noble of particular interest of Pegasus, and I have been assigned to retrieve her from Battle city."

Kisara's blue eyes narrowed. "For what purpose?"

"How odd. You ask questions whose answers you already know - are you playing with me, sweet Kisara?" Idly, Dartz tapped a finger to his lips in amusement. "There are better questions to ask. If I were in your position, I would be wondering about the doings of my allies. Or supposed allies, I should say. Pegasus has extended his hand to Akunadin, and I hear that Akunadin has happy accepted the King's offer of amnesty."

Kisara graced him with a cool smile. "So Pegasus has decided to play the game." Her eyes began to glow. "Thank you for being so candid, Dartz. You were always more honest than most, even when you were a child."

It seemed that their conversation was at an end. A force, heavy and terrifying, suddenly filled the very air. Dartz had felt the killing-lust of countless nobles, but he'd never experienced it from a vampire so old as Kisara; it was…so deliciously frightening, and he shivered in response.

"Won't you reconsider, Kisara?" he asked, though he knew he was wasting his breath at this point. "The King's amnesty is extended to you as well. If you return back to the Imperial court, Pegasus will forgive you of all of your crimes - even the treason you committed against him. All you would have to do is bow to him."

Kisara's white skin blazed. "I bow to no one."

Dartz almost laughed. "Yes, I know. You would rather die for those pathetic humans than kneel to Pegasus. But even you, with all of your power, could never defeat the Leviathan."

"Once you are dead, the Leviathan will be no threat at all."

How amusing. "So, you think to kill me, Kisara?"

"No. I will not be the one to kill you."

A bolt of electricity, fiery white, struck Kisara - and then a second, and third, until a continuous stream of blinding electricity that enveloped Kisara in a curtain of light. Dartz back winged, his eyes narrowing.

"Lovely Kisara," he murmured. "You must be desperate, to go so far…"

He had heard the rumors, of course, but seeing it, tasting the air rife with electricity and bloodlust and power, was a completely different feeling. The wings, curved and massive and translucent, sliced out from that wall of lightning, and then long, glittering necks, all sinuous beauty, followed in their wake. The sweep of scales - of that intense, bluish-white - burned with light, though it was nothing compared to the three pairs of eyes, all blue and brilliant and hot, searing like the brightest of stars.

She was not so gigantic as the Leviathan - not even close, perhaps no more than a fraction of the size. But for some reason, Dartz was absolutely certain that in this form, she was more terrifying than the Leviathan could ever be, and more monstrous by far.

_She makes a beautiful dragon_, he thought. _But if she thinks she can fight me in that form, she's an utter fool._

Dartz flexed his fingers, talons lengthening, a surge of anticipation rising within him. He would not need the Leviathan to fight her - she was magnificent, that he couldn't deny, but she had lost this fight the moment she'd transformed. Her age didn't faze him in the least; Kisara was one of the oldest vampires still in existence, but age wasn't a deciding factor in strength. She was strong - incredibly so - but Dartz had no doubt he was stronger.

Still, dodging the three beams of white lightning she suddenly leveled at him was no mean feat. Quickly, he called the remaining eradicators to him. They wouldn't last long against her, but he needed an opening, and they would serve well as a distraction…

One of Kisara's dragon heads released another beam of electricity, and four of the eradicators were literally blasted into oblivion, leaving not even a speck of ash behind. Dartz grimaced. He certainly couldn't afford to get caught in one of those attacks - he would have to end this fight fast, or risk taking serious damage.

Getting close to her wasn't an option. There was no choice but to attack her from afar, which would prove somewhat difficult - unless he used the storm.

_Oh Kisara, _he thought, taking hold of the storm's power, and feeding it, until it bloomed into a full fledged hurricane. _If only you'd taken the King's offer…_

The last two eradicators, after cautiously circling Kisara, flew in for the attack. They fired twin jets of concentrated red energy beams - beams powerful enough to slice through the steel hull of Battle city like butter. But against Kisara, the eradicators' beams were entirely ineffectual; they glanced off of Kisara's white-blue scales, and rebounded, destroying the eradicators in the process.

The remains of the two eradicators fell into the sea, and Kisara gathered herself, the regard of her three dragon heads returning to Dartz. Spheres of pale electricity flickered in each of Kisara's jaws, and Dartz - thankful that the eradicators had bought him the time he'd needed - released the storm.

Lightning arced down from the clouds - a huge bolt of energy that was as dark as the storm clouds, plunging into the sea. It tore into the waves, and the explosive backlash of it released a wall of water, which rose into the air with the swiftness of a heartbeat. Distantly, Dartz heard Kisara roar, but the sound of it was lost beneath the roar of the water as it reached its apex. The form of the white, three-headed dragon was engulfed, and the wall of water, nearly touching the clouds, suddenly collapsed, crashing back into the sea.

When the surface of the sea settled, there was no sign of Kisara; and there would be none. Dartz had triumphed, as he'd known he would.

_A pity,_ he thought. _Such beauty and power, and all of it wasted._

Now, to business. He hoped the Leviathan had finished its play with that vampire girl; there was still the matter of destroying Battle city to attend to, and Dartz had wasted enough time.

And with Kisara gone, there was no one to stand in his way.

Dartz turned, his gaze flickering back to Battle city. The Leviathan had relinquished its hold over the city, too preoccupied with the tiny speck of that vampire girl; she moved with impressive speed, and even from this distance, Dartz could see that the Leviathan, for whatever reason, was having difficulty.

_Interesting. _Did the girl possess some sort of ability, that she could confound the Leviathan? It was possible, but, Dartz supposed, it didn't really matter one way or another. He would destroy her, just as he'd obliterated Kisara.

_But that doesn't mean I have to be hasty. I can take my time with this one. _After all, the Leviathan couldn't have all the fun, could it?

He could already visualize it; her death would be slow, delectably torturous. He would draw it out, as he had not done with Kisara - this one was young, no possible threat to him, and he would enjoy toying with her…

Dartz glided in the direction of Battle city, intent on the flashes of the vampire girl's blue wings.

When he felt the surge of energy, the jolt of an unimaginable force, Dartz instinctively tensed, flaring out his wings - a good thing, because the very sight of the white mass of scales and wings that exploded from the waves was shocking in its own right, never mind the fact that there were torrents of concentrated electricity ripping through the air with violent fury.

Kisara was alive, and she was angry. Dartz fought down the inexplicable urge to laugh. This certainly made things more tedious for him - Kisara was a stubborn creature, too obstinate to accept her death with grace. But, though she looked like some pale demon hell-bent on destruction, Dartz could not help but think of the futility of it all.

Kisara was going to die by his hand, one way or another. But if Kisara was willing to play a bit longer, he would certainly oblige her.

Besides, there things that he hadn't tried yet - after centuries of carefully honing his abilities, Dartz had never truly been able to exercise his full strength. Perhaps Kisara, with her incredible power, would be the opponent he'd desired for so long…

The dragon rose, ascending at a frightening speed. Dartz threw caution to the wind and half-closed his wings, dropping to meet her.

It was, he admitted inwardly, a rather stupid thing to do. Kisara had shown herself to be perfectly capable of administering heavy damage at close range, but Dartz had power of his own - and since this fight was dragging out for longer than he'd expected, Dartz was ready to use some of his…darker abilities.

Each of Kisara's monstrous jaws opened, electricity sparking briefly between her fangs, before she released three streams of lightning. Dartz rolled sharply, and though the lightning passed close - close enough that he felt his skin burn - it didn't quite touch him. He broke out of the roll, and opened his hand. Kisara's main head jerked, and she tried, with a futile snap of her teeth, to snatch him out of the air. He flew right past her mouth, and caressed the length of her glittering, scaled throat with his palm.

Beneath the layers of scale and muscle, he felt her veins and arteries ignite. Kisara was turning, her wings producing thunderous gusts of air, but she was too slow - far too slow. Dartz snapped opened his own wings, forcing himself into an arc, and narrowing avoiding the endless coils of Kisara's tail.

A second later, he heard blood splattering into the air, and saw great gouts of it explode from Kisara's throat.

She roared, the sound echoing harshly upon the wind, and for a moment, Dartz was sure her wings would fold, and she would fall right out of the sky. But Kisara, it seemed, was made of sterner stuff; her necks arched and she reoriented herself, until she faced Dartz once more.

She looked the worse for wear. Blood glistened crimson along the pale expanse of her neck, and more of it leaked liberally from between her teeth. Of course, the wound where her blood had ripped from her neck was already closing, but Dartz had known that it would take a bit more than his Touch of Blood to kill her.

But there was some damage done. Dartz did not possess the strength of Pegasus, who could call blood from the veins without a single touch, but barring the King, there were no other vampires who had anything close to Dartz' ability. It would be useful for killing Kisara - if he could get a clear shot at her heart, this fight would be over.

Now that she was weakened, he had more options. Dartz pointed a finger toward the sea, focusing upon the dark waves. At his beck, thick tendrils of seawater rose, surging up, and reaching for Kisara.

To her credit, Kisara was still agile, even with the extreme blood loss she'd sustained. With a crack of her tail, she disrupted one of the tendrils, and with a sweep of a wing, she obliterated another. But it was only a matter of time. Dartz closed his fingers, and the mass of water tendrils converged on her - her three necks were immobilized first, and then her wings, until nearly every part of her - every dangerous part - was wrapped in water.

Dartz approached, the hot warmth of utter triumph heating his veins. With a flick of his wings, he hovered close, idly folding his arms to his chest. "So it has come to this. You were entertaining, to say the least. But I'm afraid our time has come to an end, Kisara. It was a pleasure, have no doubt of that."

He reached out with an open palm. His reflection, sharp and clear over the smooth scales of her chest, showed his face to be caught in sneer, his gaze hard and hungry.

"You seem resigned," he said, his fingers mere inches from her heart. He could hear it - the deep, regular thrum, like the echo of thunder. "I would have thought that you would die fighting. You promised to kill me, remember?"

Kisara's main head lowered, drifting closer to him - or, at least, as close as the tethers of seawater would allow. _I am not the one who will kill you._

Dartz saw a shadow reflected over Kisara's scales - and that was all the warning he had.

Talons sank into the back of his neck, driving deep. He felt the agonizing pain of his vertebrae rupturing under sheer pressure, and Dartz could hardly think past the horrifying sensation of his spinal cord being torn from his back.

Blindly, he redirected a water tendril from Kisara, and struck at the force that held him in a death grip. The talons freed themselves from his neck, but Dartz was offered no reprieve - there was a flash, a blurring of motion, and his attacker was on him again.

He defended himself - badly. Those talons sliced through the muscles of his arm, before raking violently across his face. There was only enough thought in his mind to use his Touch of Blood, but even at such close range, his attempts were rendered useless; his opponent knocked away his arms, parrying them aside with ridiculous ease.

Dazed, Dartz blocked an on-coming blow with his wing. His attacker's talons ripped neatly through feather and muscle, nearly severing the tendon. It was only sheer luck that his wing wasn't crippled - but Dartz didn't have time to dwell on luck. He took the opening, slight though it was, and struck with an open palm.

His hand was caught before it could make contact with skin. Dartz's teeth clenched. The weight of bloodlust rolled off his attacker in waves, and eyes pale and devoid of pupils burned at him with the light of the killing-hunger.

"You," hissed Dartz in shock. "You should be dead!"

Dartz had seen him die - the dark-winged vampire who had had the audacity to attack him with that hunter-sword. Impossible - it was impossible!

His attacker said nothing; the fingers over Dartz's wrist suddenly closed, and there was the sickening sound of his bones snapping in half.

White fury crossed Dartz's vision. He wrenched his wrist back, breaking his attacker's hold - and with his opposite hand, he brushed his attacker's arm with his fingers.

There was a spray of blood as his opponent's veins ruptured, but there was far less damage than Dartz had anticipated. His attacker's arm was still intact, and only a minimal amount of blood stained the dark-winged vampire's flesh.

So he tried again, surging forward with his uninjured hand, but it was to little avail. His opponent moved so quickly that he blurred before Dartz's vision. Only once did Dartz manage to touch the vampire with his hand - the very tip of a finger catching the vampire's side - but there was no resulting splatter of blood. It was almost as if his Touch of Blood was weakening…

And then the vampire caught him by the throat. Dartz retaliated, his hand clenching over the vampire's wrist.

Nothing happened. There wasn't even a trickle of blood - the vampire's arteries and veins refused to respond to his Touch of Blood.

The grip over Dartz's neck tightened, talons sliding into his skin. The vampire's face was expressionless, but his eyes, savagely pale, spoke of bloodthirsty, murderous desire.

"You think you're going to kill me, filth? Don't kid yourself," Dartz choked out. He couldn't use his Touch of Blood, but there were other ways to destroy this vampire…

He called to the waves, and as before, tendrils of water rose from the ocean, like hungry, liquid snakes. With a twist of his unbroken wrist, he directed the tendrils, and they surged up, ready to tear, to rend, to rip apart the vampire limb from limb -

Each tendril suddenly dissipated, evaporating mid-air. Dartz's power drained from him, and his wings fell, a cold wave of weakness washing over him.

The vampire's eyes glowed ever brighter, and Dartz finally understood. It was compulsion - the vampire had stripped him of his strength, had rendered his Touch of Blood ineffective, all through compulsion.

But Dartz was no pathetic human, to be controlled like a slave; nor was he one of those common, pitiful vampires who could be so easily manipulated. It made little sense. He had always carefully guarded his mind, and there was no one, besides Pegasus and a few other vampire nobles, who possessed the mental strength to bypass the safeguards of Dartz's consciousness…

"You are nothing but trash," Dartz whispered. "The Leviathan will destroy Battle city, down to the last child. And then it will destroy you."

Without a word, the vampire raised his free hand - and plunged it into Dartz's chest.

There was a scream. Dartz was certain it was his own, but the shock, and the indescribable agony, wiped away everything else from his mind.

The vampire's hand withdrew itself from Dartz's ribcage. Blood-drenched fingers held Dartz's still beating heart.

Those fingers closed, talons slicing deep; Dartz's heart went still.

He only had strength enough for one last thing - for one last word. Dartz drew a breath, tasting the air, so sweet with the tang of blood.

"Monster."

The dark-winged vampire smiled, the first expression Dartz had seen cross his face. It was a smile full of insanity, and hatred, and…guilt.

The fingers wrapped around Dartz's neck loosened, and Dartz fell, through clouds and sky, into the sea.

* * *

The stake was still stained, the wood vaguely red, but no amount of cleaning would remove the blood from it now. Kaiba didn't bother; the steel tip of the stake was just as sharp as it had ever been, and that was good enough. Shizuka hovered beside him, worry etched upon her features.

"Kaiba," she began, and he cut her off, as he had done before.

"My answer has not changed. I won't negotiate with you, healer. If you continue to follow me, I'll make you wish you hadn't."

She placed a hand over his arm. "I know you're good at what you do, but even you can't fight twelve vampires on your own, Kaiba. We need you."

Kaiba removed her hand. "I won't be fighting alone," he said, not fully sure why it was so important to reassure her. "Go back. Our people need you more than they need me."

He saw her hesitate, but after a moment, she nodded. "Make sure you come back, Kaiba."

Kaiba said nothing, striding out into sunlight. He felt Shizuka's eyes on his back, and for a brief second, he felt something - an instant of his own worry. Shizuka would be safe; of that, he would make certain.

The expanse of Kisara's Keep, black and floating above a sea white as moonlight, gleamed crimson in the glow of the setting sun. All three of his Blue Eyes, as if they had known his intent, languished in the fading rays of the sun, waiting for him.

As he approached, they rose, snapping their jaws eagerly. His largest Blue Eyes lowered her body to the ground, exposing the long length of her neck for him to mount.

"No," he said, stroking the cool scales of her cheek. "I want you to stay here. Guard Shizuka and the others until I return."

She snarled lowly in displeasure, her wings arching in anger.

"Do it," he said, voice hard.

This time she snarled in earnest, the ridged plates along her neck bristling. He held her with his eyes, motionless, and after a time, she dipped her head in acquiescence. Turning her massive body, she launched herself into the sky.

Kaiba watched her - the play of sunlight over her form edged her scales with gold, and a part of him, a very small part, felt at ease. If any of those twelve vampires decided to try something, they would meet with a force that couldn't be reckoned with…

Kaiba could always smell treachery, and was certain that those vampires would attempt to destroy his hunters, and that attempt would be made soon. His mind shifted back, to the meeting hours before. That paradox, Akunadin - so obviously a vampire, yet Kaiba had never seen a vampire who showed such human signs of aging - was waiting for something. Otherwise, Kaiba was sure that the old vampire would have already ordered all of Kaiba's hunters to be killed. As it was, his people were to be confined in the Keep, imprisoned until further notice.

It was very clear to Kaiba that Akunadin was planning to dispose of Kisara, and forcibly wrest the Keep into his own hands. After Kisara was out of the picture, there would be nothing between Akunadin and Kaiba's force of hunters…

_A wholesale slaughter_, Kaiba mused. Most of the hunters were still heavily injured, and the larger majority were in no shape to fight. Easy targets. But Kaiba had no intention to wait until Akunadin made his move; there would be blood spilled today in Kisara's Keep, but it wouldn't be human blood…

The wind shifted, the alien smell of the Keep heavy upon the air. His dragons roared, flaring open their wings, their eyes shining in the encroaching darkness.

"Let's go," he said.


	11. End of Sight

I want to finish this soon. Really, really soon. So, God willing, I'm going to start churning out chapters.

So, the eleventh chapter, and onward to the end. Thank you, all of you, for the wealth of support you've given me.

* * *

It was pain. There was no softness to it, no gentleness - only pain, blurring the edges of his sight.

But easily ignored. Pain that had to be ignored, if only for her sake. He could endure, even in the sun.

The tall grasses of the field rippled in light brilliantly golden. There was beauty to this place, and the air was still and calm, cool despite the heavy sunlight. Battle city had settled over the field, cradled in the fronds of grass and the blossoms of white flowers, while its hull smoked and the smell of fire lingered hot on the breeze. The city had survived, and a part of him felt satisfied, satiated, at the sight of the city still whole, despite everything that had happened.

The dragon was not here. He could sense her in the distance, feel the vast weight of her mind. She was too concerned with the body of the Leviathan, her thoughts invested in disposing of the monster before it could become a threat once again; the Battle city hunters waited eagerly for her return, but she would not be back for hours. The hunters were stranded here, in a sea of grass and sunlight, out in the open - vulnerable. Their thoughts were loud, chaotic, full of fear.

They feared Anzu somewhat, wary of the blue-winged vampire in their midst. But the dragon trusted Anzu, and so the hunters allowed Anzu's presence; they valued the dragon's judgment, for all she was a monster.

_A monster like you_, came the thought, and his hand tightened over the sword. It was hard to forget with so many hunters around. Even harder to remember that he couldn't go back to those days when he'd simply been a hunter of Domino and nothing else. Now he was a hunter who desired blood - desired it so much that he could hardly bear the absolute agony of the hunger, the torment that had returned the moment he'd killed Dartz…

The fingers of his left hand jerked, and he unconsciously lifted that hand to his mouth. He remembered the taste of Dartz's blood, so different from Mai's, and the memory produced a shudder within him, a wash of cold, icy feeling tracing his spine. He wanted to lick his hand clean of the vampire's blood yet again, but it was gone, and Dartz was dead.

So there was nothing for it. He couldn't kill Dartz a second time, couldn't taste the blue-haired vampire's heart-blood over again. He could get over it, ignore the desire for now. There was no choice.

He was standing, and he couldn't remember moving. A hunter saw him, but said nothing, eyes turning from him; there were more important things, the hunter thought, than some strange, pale Domino refugee emerging from a random pool of shadow.

The grass crunched under his feet, and suddenly he recalled more of his original intent. His mother…she needed help, something that was not in his power to provide, but Anzu could.

_Anzu. _A spasm passed through the muscles of his sword hand, and an old emotion flooded his chest. Seeing her here, he wondered.

Where was his brother? She knew. She knew, and she would tell him. After she healed his mother. After.

* * *

The eastern edge of the deserted continent was full of resources - fresh water, game, metal ore embedded shallowly into earth. Her surviving hunters she set to locating some of those resources, and a few of her captains she positioned around the perimeter to monitor the air for vampiric threats. For herself, Vivian decided upon a break. So she stumbled around the sectors of Battle city, only half avoiding the falling debris of burnt steel, for a little stroll. Of course, though she had wanted to be, she wasn't alone.

Otogi and his pet brat Rebecca trailed her down the seared steel halls. Otogi should had retaken control as First Captain, and Rebecca should have been set down for her noon time nap (wasn't that what kids did? Take naps in the middle of the day?) but they were following her, as though she needed watching.

When Vivian tripped, nearly falling down several levels into some dark, burning hole, Otogi grabbed hold of her torso, Rebecca latching onto Vivian's arm, and they both pulled her back to relative safety. It was almost enough for Vivian to consider forgiving them, the traitors, for leaving Battle city to rot.

Well, not Rebecca. Who could keep a hold of the little snot, besides her grandfather? There was nothing to forgive Rebecca of, because everyone knew that the girl did what she wanted, and maybe it was better that she hadn't been here. Perhaps Rebecca would have died too, like her grandfather, crushed under tons of burning steel hull.

_Does she know_? Vivian wondered, half running into a door, which hung askew from its metal frame. It was better not to say anything, if the girl didn't. Now wasn't the time.

"We should go back," Otogi said, reaching for Vivian's shoulder. "You're burnt out."

How strange. She felt like a drunk, and her limbs quivered with embarrassing weakness, so she was sure that this feeling wasn't exhaustion. She couldn't afford exhaustion.

"You go back. You're First-Captain, despite the fact that you abandoned us." Good. Her voice hadn't shook, and she'd only slurred a bit. It couldn't be exhaustion, then.

Otogi had heard the same from her the past several hours, so the sting of her remark hadn't seemed to affect him - the first time she'd said it he had staggered back, as though someone had slapped him. But he still had yet to explain himself, yet to tell her why he had disappeared - and why he was back now, when Battle city was nothing more than a ruin.

A sharp little pain erupted in her thigh. Vivian blinked, realizing that Rebecca had pinched her, and was ready to do so again. Vivian grunted, smacking the girl's hand away.

_I think I deserved that, actually_, she mused, barely avoiding slamming herself into some sort of glass surface.

After a bit more of the same (Vivian running into things, falling on her face, slurring out insults to Otogi, and Rebecca's subsequent pinching) Vivian found that sitting had its merits. The floor was icy, and the surrounding cells of greenish glass were slightly terrifying in the dark, but Vivian's head was spinning, and she felt very close to vomiting her guts up.

"Creepy," she heard Rebecca murmur. "It's kind of strange that this place is still intact, isn't it, Otogi?"

"Yeah," Otogi replied. "Very strange."

Vivian flicked her eyes up, and - despite the fact that her vision was oddly cloudy, and her eyes felt very much like they wanted to cross - she saw that Otogi was gazing off in the distance, his irises glowing palely in the shadows. She blinked, turning to look herself, and, for some crazy, inexplicable reason, she realized that she could see what Otogi was seeing…the glitter of a metal staff. In the back of her mind, she remembered that Mahaado had gotten another staff commissioned, one that had been forged of high density steel. When had that been? Months ago? Weeks ago? A few days?

Vivian scrambled to her feet, nearly pitching forward on her face. Rebecca yelped at her sudden movement, and Otogi's hand flashed out, taking hold of Vivian's shoulder before she could fall. Vivian, however, kept moving, tearing toward that glint of steel like a mad woman.

_Maybe I am a little bit insane. Mahaado is dead. He would have been at my side, if he wasn't -_

Vivian stopped, the edge of her foot inches from an armored gauntlet. Immediately, she reached for the gauntlet (mesmerized by the deep purple color of it), her fingers brushing the cool, smooth metal. Then she wrapped her hand around it, sliding her hand down the length of the gauntlet, and over an armored arm…

The shadows parted, and she saw his face. His eyes were closed, and his tanned skin was far too pallid, and - she noticed with a grim sort of fear - there was dried blood in his hair. Without thinking, she pressed her hand to his throat. There was a pulse, weak and languid, as though he were in a deep, dangerous sleep, or a coma.

Otogi stood over her, his shadow darkening Mahaado's purple armor. "Compulsion," he said softly. Vivian had thought the same, instinctively, for Mahaado was the strongest hunter under Otogi, and for something to have laid him low without killing him was a near impossibility - not unless you counted the power of a vampire. But Vivian had never seen compulsion like this; Mahaado was alive, but if his pulse was any indication, he lingered only a few steps away from death.

"Otogi. You can break compulsion, right?" Vivian whispered, almost to herself.

When Otogi didn't answer, Vivian turned to stare at him. "Right?" she whispered again.

He returned her stare, his shining green eyes incredibly unnerving. "It's too strong, Vivian."

That was not the answer she was looking for. "You didn't even try. You have to try - "

"He already has," Rebecca said. "If he had been able to lift it, Mahaado would have come to by now."

"Then we had to move him." Vivian stood, her knees trembling weakly beneath her, and if it had not been for Otogi's hand on her elbow, she would have fallen. "One of the healers can do something." Even as she said them, Vivian knew that her words were empty, that even she didn't believe them.

"Vivian, I don't think - " Rebecca began.

Otogi cut the girl off. "We'll move him. A healer can see to him."

Rebecca blinked, her blue eyes wide behind her glasses. She looked like she wanted to say something, to argue, but then thought better of it. The girl sighed. "If we're going, we should go now."

Vivian smiled at them both. "Thank you."

_I might be able to forgive them after all._

And with that thought, everything went black.

* * *

Kisara hadn't returned. Nor was she going to - Anzu could feel, deep within, that the Leviathan was still awake, was still coursing the waves of the sea with a mind bent on destruction. She feared that the connection would never disappear, but now, hours after the battle, the Leviathan's thoughts were growing fainter. It had not been the same as forging a blood-bond, as she had done with that human…Yugi…but it had been similar. The Leviathan's desires lingered within her own thoughts, and she felt the primitive hunger of the monster, the savage lust for souls and blood.

Anzu extended her wings, pushing herself from the heights of Battle city, and catching a head wind. She glided down slowly, allowing the hunters to see her form fully before she landed, her wings flaring out for good measure, and her feet sliding gently onto the tall blue-green grass.

For all of her caution, she sensed the gazes of several hunters turn upon her. There was no motion, no weapons drawn, but she could smell upon the breeze a change in the hunters' scents - the smell of tenseness, with an undercurrent of aggressiveness. They smelled like wolves woken suddenly from sleep, ready to attack at a moment's notice. Anzu kept that in mind, padding slowly, carefully, around Battle city's perimeter.

It was nothing that the hunters couldn't do themselves, Anzu knew. But Kisara expected Anzu to keep the humans safe while she chased the Leviathan; Anzu had given her word. The hunters were stretched thin, anyway - there were too many dead, too many injured, and the mortals who were still capable of fighting were few and far between. So she would lend her eyes and her senses, at least until Kisara returned.

She glanced up at the sky, which was streaked the rose and crimson and deep blue of morning, and thought of the Keep. There was no way that they could go back now. Akunadin, that filth, now had control of Kisara's Keep…and yet, Kisara had seemed unconcerned. Perhaps the threat of the Leviathan was more important, but with Dartz dead, the monster would eventually return to slumber. At least, that was what her parents had taught her when she had been a child; the Leviathan could be woken to the call of a vampire, but to sleep it would return if that vampire perished…

But she had spent long centuries without her parents, and she now knew that her parents had made their mistakes, that they had been wrong about many things. They had underestimated Pegasus - a mistake that had cost them their lives, and Anzu had been left to navigate the world alone. They might well have been wrong about the Leviathan…

_I'll just have to trust Kisara. I just hope she hasn't made a mistake of her own._

The immense bladed wings of Battle city loomed ahead. As she moved into the deep shadows cast by the wings, she sensed the regard of…someone. One of the hunters, perhaps, but the feeling disappeared almost as soon as she felt it. Still, she glanced back, searching the shadows. There was nothing; only the rapid thrum of mortal heartbeats, the heavy breathing of the injured, the low murmur of conversations. Many of the healers had moved the wounded here, beneath the city's wings, rather than risk the hazards of Battle city's interior.

Anzu kept her distance, scanning the area - besides the healers with their injured, and some hunters surreptitiously hidden in the pools of shadow, she noticed nothing amiss.

That was, until Rebecca barreled into her.

"Anzu, Anzu! You have to help us!"

"Rebecca," Anzu said, fighting to breathe around the girl's iron grasp. "What's wrong?"

"It's one of our lieutenant captains - he's been put under compulsion," Rebecca said breathlessly. " I just thought that maybe…maybe you could lift it, Anzu?"

"Rebecca…I don't…"

"Please, Anzu?" The girl gazed at her with wide eyes - the effect magnified behind her glasses.

She did not even bother fighting. Rebecca, so innocent, so guileless, looking like a tiny, needy puppy…Anzu could not bear to even think of denying her, though she knew that she could do nothing. Absolutely nothing. But she would try, though her efforts would be futile; she would do it for Rebecca.

The girl led her gently, fingers wrapped so trustingly over Anzu's wrist. And Anzu wondered; wondered if Rebecca would look at her with disappointment, with disgust, when she was unable to lift the compulsion over this lieutenant captain.

_Better not to think about it. _Anzu couldn't remember the moment she had succumbed to this - to this desire to please this human girl, who had somehow, _somehow_, become her friend.

There was the bright glow of light - not sunlight, but a light that was amber and brilliant and penetrating. That light hovered over the form of a hunter, still garbed in armor, laying prone on a makeshift stretcher. Otogi stood close, his gaze riveted on the single healer - a mortal with tanned skin and the eyes of a vampire.

Both looked to Anzu as she approached. Otogi's face remained expressionless, and Anzu had to refrain from speaking to him mind to mind; Rebecca would hear, and the healer, human though she looked, perhaps possessed enough vampire blood to overhear as well.

"You're Anzu," said the healer, regarding Anzu with an intense stare. "Kisara has…told us about you."

_Good things, I hope_, Anzu thought as she drew nearer. The healer remained calm - there was no quickening of her heartbeat, nor was there the scent of fear. A good sign; the healer was not afraid of Anzu, and that would make things somewhat easier.

"Rebecca requested my assistance," Anzu said slowly. "I would like to offer my help in whatever way possible."

"She's a full-blood, Ishizu," Rebecca added, as though the healer couldn't discern that Anzu was a true vampire. But then, what with Otogi, perhaps Rebecca felt the distinction was needed. "Maybe she can help where you…you know…" _Where you've failed_, were the unspoken words.

Ishizu's eyes flickered slightly, before she beckoned Anzu with a flick of her tanned fingers. Anzu obeyed, and without a second thought, she lowered herself into a half crouch, spaying out her wings for balance. A touch of her hand over the unconscious hunter's forehead revealed what Anzu had expected - a compulsion woven so tightly, so intricately, that she didn't dare to attempt to dispel it.

But the hunter, at least, was stable. Stable enough for Anzu to try something rather foolish.

She gazed sidelong at Ishizu. "I need you to keep his heart beating. If it stops, even for a moment, he'll die and there will be no way to revive him."

The healer nodded. She waved a slender hand over the hunter's armored chest, and the points of amber light, like obedient fireflies, flew down to hover close to the hunter's vitals.

Anzu regarded the tiny spheres of light warily. _Ishizu's power…healing power. Interesting._ Anzu was suddenly reminded very strongly of vampiric energy; Ishizu was mortal, but there was more than enough vampiric influence in her blood, it seemed.

But there was no sense in wasting time contemplating that - and so Anzu leaned in, gaze focused intently upon the artery pulsing in the hunter's neck, the first small vestiges of hunger burning in the back of her throat…

A hiss. That was all the warning she had, before the world dissolved into chaos.

There was the sound of Ishizu's sharp intake of breath, coupled with the shriller sound of Rebecca screaming - and then both suddenly went silent. Anzu's gaze snapped up, and she saw the insidious flash of a sword, the glow of a vampire's eyes in the dark. Otogi was up, wings flaring out, moving fast as quicksilver - he was fighting, but the man had no weapon against the sword, and was being pushed back, forced to give ground.

Rebecca and the healer had slumped over, unconscious. Anzu pushed herself to her feet, opening her own wings, anticipation surging in her veins - a vampire. This was a vampire attacking them, a vampire who had somehow slipped into Battle city without the hunters noticing.

A hand caught Otogi by the throat, and suddenly he was down, slammed violently to the ground. And that sword rose, its glittering point mere inches from Otogi's heart. It would kill him, because that was a hunter's sword, and even Otogi, with his vampire blood, wouldn't survive being stabbed by a hunter blade…

Anzu found herself moving, lunging forward, her fingers closing over the sword hilt. This was the first time she had dared enter a fight in nearly a century; the Leviathan certainly didn't count, since that had been less of a fight and more of a desperate bid for survival, but she had learned from it. Never stay in one place, especially if your opponent was a monster who could devour you without a second thought -

She attempted to wrench the sword away, her wings simultaneously sweeping down, producing a gust of air. Anzu managed to force the point of the blade away from Otogi's heart, but before she could shift herself away, something took a hold of her wrist, and held it in an iron, unbreakable grip.

And Anzu saw the face of her opponent. Palely silver vampire eyes glittered at her - eyes like Ishizu's, but before these eyes Anzu went still, terror and confliction seeping into her blood. Ishizu wasmortal, but Anzu's opponent was _not_, because he was casting compulsion over her, a compulsion that calmed her rapidly beating heart, and soothed her fearful thoughts.

But it wasn't enough to hold her. Anzu was no stranger to compulsion, so rather than allow herself to be soothed, she turned instead to anger. Anger was easy enough to embrace, because she felt it welling uncontrollably inside of her the longer she gazed upon his face…

"You're not him." Her voice held steady despite everything. "You're not him," she repeated, and the grip over her wrist tightened.

But she felt it, the blood bond. She had not felt it before, not for days and weeks, but she felt it now. And Anzu couldn't comprehend it - the Yugi of her memories had been gentle in all things, easily manipulated, and far, far removed from being a cold-hearted killer.

Not to mention that Yugi had no vampire blood. She would have known, she would have sensed it…

"Come with me," her opponent said with Yugi's voice. "Come with me, Anzu."

It was him. Anzu couldn't reconcile the gentle Yugi of her memories with this Yugi - the one who had tried to kill Otogi - in her mind, but she knew. And if she went with him, Otogi would be safe, and so would Rebecca and Ishizu -

He smirked slowly. "I won't hurt them if you come. I promise."

Everything was upside down. Yugi the mortal, the same Yugi who was her tool…was no longer mortal, and was now using _her._

But Anzu acquiesced, because she could see no better way to protect the humans - and Otogi - from this man.

_I hope Kisara comes back soon_, Anzu mused grimly. _Because I don't think I can take any more insanity._

* * *

He was not a murderer. He was not a murderer, and that thought had stayed his hand, mere minutes before. Killing the innocent had no purpose - it was wrong, it was evil. They had only been in the way, those three; that girl Rebecca, who reminded him a little of Mana, the healer Ishizu, who did nothing but extend herself to save the lives of others, and the hunter Otogi, who was the true ruler of Battle city, a man whose thoughts had been filled with the desire to _protect. _It had taken all of his restraint not to kill the dark-haired, green-eyed man - a man who was a half-blood, a dhampir, but a hunter at the core. But it had been close. If Anzu had not intervened, things would have gone far differently.

_Anzu_. She kept her distance, remained always a few paces behind him. He felt her wariness, the perpetual anxiety of her mind. She was still worried that he would go back on his word - that he would attempt kill the humans and the dhampir despite her obedience. There was no use trying to calm her, either; she had blocked out his mind, and he had no hold over her. But that didn't matter, because it wasn't necessary to control her - she was going to help him of her own free will. And that was better than forced obedience.

He remembered his own forced obedience. The long years of his childhood, when he had obeyed his mother without thought, believed every word that had come out of her mouth - that he was a worthless monster, useful only as a shield to protect Atem, and little else. He had had no other choice but to believe her; she, along with the Council, knew the truth of his blood, the taint that was on it, and they had had power over him, the power to kill him, if they had so wished. But his mother hadn't given the order - and in exchange for his life, he had willingly sacrificed himself for Atem, for Domino.

He had given too much. Domino was in ruins and Atem was missing; his sacrifice had been for nothing.

Anzu suddenly inhaled sharply. It was because of the blood - blood that was not fresh, but the smell of it was hot, nearly overpowering; glancing sidelong at her, he saw her tense, the pupils of her eyes shrinking.

His mother lay on a tattered infirmary bed - one that had been dragged out of Battle city, along with several pieces of still-intact healing machinery. Ishizu had seen to it that she had some measure of comfort; warm blankets covered her, and a pillow - slightly singed by fire, but relatively clean and soft-looking - was propped beneath her neck.

Yugi went to her. She was awake, and at his approach, her eyes flickered to his face.

"Atem," she whispered, her gaze searching his features. "You're Atem."

He saw no need to deny her. She wanted his twin - and so he would be Atem, for her. "Yes." He took her hand, felt the icy coldness of it, and his fingers clenched tight over her fingers.

"I don't…how are you here?"

"It doesn't matter," he said. "I wanted to see you, so I came."

His mother closed her eyes, releasing a breath. "You're safe. I'm glad. I'm so glad."

Gently, he smoothed away a strand of her hair. "Mother. Do you trust me?"

When her eyes opened, and she gazed at him so trustingly, without even the slightest ounce of fear, he knew the question had been unnecessary - his mother trusted Atem, perhaps more than anyone.

"I've brought someone to help you," he said lowly.

Anzu was close. Close enough to hear. There was movement as she padded even closer, white skin brilliant in the dim light.

_Heal her,_ he whispered into Anzu's mind. _Heal her, like you healed me._

If Anzu remembered that day - the day when he had lain dying in the destroyed palace of Pegasus - she gave no indication, her face devoid of expression. Her pale eyes swept over his mother's form, coldly analytical. After a moment, Anzu shook her head.

"She can't be saved."

The memory of Anzu, when she had found him in the palace of the vampire king, said otherwise; that day, when he had first seen her, stalking the palace shadows like a leopard, searching for something, until she had discovered him, half-dead and struggling to breathe. He had taken her offer then, because he had feared dying - though he had known that Anzu had only wanted a hunter to control, to use for her own means. She had saved him from the brink of death then to further her machinations…but for his mother, who would be crippled even with healing, Anzu would give no such mercy.

Anger. He had never felt it so sharply - couldn't remember a time in his life when it had become this all-consuming. He stood, releasing his grip from his mother's fingers.

Anzu's face remained impassive, her vampire pale eyes cool. Vampire. Yugi had forgotten that vampires were cruel; he had forgotten how ruthlessly Anzu had used him, forgotten that she held no allegiance to him, to anyone. He had forgotten so much.

"It isn't the same," Anzu said, staring back at him levelly. "When I…healed you, I didn't know if you were strong enough to survive. I took that chance. It worked for you because you _were_ strong enough. Your mother isn't. If I try to heal her…she will die the moment I take her blood."

_No. _He wouldn't accept it. Anzu was his mother's last chance; even Ishizu, the strongest healer in Battle city, hadn't possessed power enough to save her. Anzu had brought him from the brink of death so easily, and yet she refused to do so for his mother -

"Stop. Stop it now, Yugi. Please, you have to stop."

His mother. She gazed at him in terror, her hand reaching out - reaching for him. She knew it was him now, that he was not his brother. She would never be afraid of Atem; she had never stared at his twin like she was gazing upon a monster.

His mother he ignored, because he couldn't bear her eyes - eyes that were glazed with fever, with fear and desperation. She had always been so powerful, his mother; for years he had feared her, had lived to do her will, had struggled to make her see him as a person, and not a creature tainted with vampire blood. To see her so weak, so terrified, was more painful than the physical agony. And the bloodlust burned, a constant, near unbearable pain even now; a pain that made him desire the sensation of ripping Dartz's still beating heart out, of seeing the vampire die as he fell into the sea…

Anzu moved, backing slowly away, before she faded into the shadows - gone, like she had never been. She was running, as though she thought that he couldn't follow her, wouldn't be able to find her.

"Don't go," his mother whispered. "Don't leave like this. Atem can help you - just don't go. He'll help you. Just let him help you."

His mother's mind was in chaos. It had been several days since the last time she had been even semi-lucid - several days of fever-induced confusion and only occasional moments of clarity. When he touched her thoughts, he found her mind fractured, fear and old memories clouding every inch of her consciousness.

He could do so little. Her pain was monstrous, greater than even his own, but he had no power to heal it. What power he did have…it was corrupt, evil, abhorrent. But he could think of nothing else, at least until he caught Anzu…

His mother's hand clenched tight over his wrist as he kneeled, pulling her gently into his embrace. She shivered, murmuring his name over and over again, begging, pleading, weeping.

Yugi have never dared such contact with his mother before. Touches of affection had always been reserved for Atem - but his mother was so lost in fever, it didn't matter one way or another. And more than that…the contact was needed, if only to help sooth her.

"I'm coming back," he said into her ear, as he wove the weak compulsion within her mind. "I'm coming back soon. I give you my word."

"You've gone insane," she hissed, the nails of her fingers digging desperately into his skin. "You're going to kill them like this. You're going to kill them all, and Atem won't be here to stop you."

She was right. He was going to kill - all of the humans, one by one, until their blood saturated the ground, and stained the grass crimson. He would find Anzu, yes, but first he would kill, and keep killing. Hot, hungry anticipation rose within him, and he could see it - the blood everywhere, splattered over the grass, the terror of the humans, all while Anzu watched…

"The seal. You've lost control. Let me reapply the seal." His mother's voice was weak, a breathy whisper. "My child. My son. If I had raised you as a vampire, none of this would have happened - "

"Rest, Mother," he said softly. The compulsion settled, and his mother's breathing relaxed into the easy rhythm of sleep. Her fingers loosened from his wrist, and she slid bonelessly from his embrace.

_Sleep for now_, he whispered into her unconscious mind. _Sleep, while I hunt._

* * *

The waters of the sea were darkly blue, even in the blazing light of noon. It made it difficult to pinpoint the Leviathan's position, but the flicker of scales - iridescent, almost pearl-like, despite their near black coloring - spoke to the monster's steady descent. By nightfall, the Leviathan would be gone, sliding back into the deeper depths of the sea, and all traces of its immense power would disappear with it.

Kisara had had to make certain that it would return to the place of its slumber. With Dartz's death, the monster had been weakened somewhat - but subsequently, it had also possessed no master to control its wrath. Without a vampire's mind to focus it, the Leviathan would lay waste to the earth, savage everything it came across, until the world was a smoking ruin. It was not in Kisara's power to fully harness the Leviathan's mind as Dartz had done, but she had pushed upon the monster's thoughts, had guided it to this dark point of the ocean - and now it was diving, submerging itself beneath the waves, down to a place where it could do no harm.

But she had remained, riding the steady currents of ocean air, to see the last of the Leviathan's coiled body sink into the dark waters of the sea. It was time for her to return, back to where Battle city lay, though a small part of her was hesitant.

_An old vision,_ she thought, soaring above the waves, and into a mass of sun-kissed cloud, _is still a vision, and still rings true. _

She had seen Dartz's death over a thousand years ago – when Dartz was still a tiny vampire child, clasped in the arms of his mother, too young even to have felt the first pangs of blood-hunger. A beautiful, well-formed child, heir of a pair of lovely aristocratic vampires of the ancient blood. If his parents had known that Dartz would fall to a dhampir, they would have killed him with their own hands. They would have killed him and tried for a new heir, and Dartz never would have grown, never would have come into the glorious mastery of the Leviathan, never would have become the right hand of the King, a Sub-Emperor of the vampire realm.

Dartz, for all of the cruel, sadistic deeds he'd committed for the pleasure of the King, had been a child once. If Kisara had let slip to his parents the truth of his destiny, he would have died as an innocent. So she had waited, knowing that a millennia later, he would no longer be innocent, that his soul would be dark, and his killer would be a young, insane dhampir who would delight in ripping Dartz's heart out of his chest…

The clouds grew thinner, and the ocean beneath her had lightened, waves brilliantly cerulean in the deepening sunlight. She was close. On the air, there was the smell of smoke and blood – the scent of Battle city and its people. This she had seen as well – though she had hoped this vision would not come into fruition, had prayed that she had been wrong.

But she was never wrong. She had known this would happen, and she had played accordingly, because fate could not be altered, could not be tampered with. She had no power to change anything – no power to stop the inevitable future she had glimpsed.

But the guilt remained. She could change nothing, but she still felt the guilt, the torment of knowing. She would feel it until the day she died…

…A day which she had also seen.

Kisara turned with the wind, and saw the blurred steel shape of Battle city, partially hidden by its still functioning cloaking mechanisms. There were no screams, no sounds of fighting as yet.

But there would be.

She folded her wings, seeking two minds – Anzu's and the dhampir's.

Her shadow darkened the silvery surfaces of Battle city, and she landed, talons sinking into the moist earth. She furled her wings, curling her necks, and idly wrapping the tip of her tail around one of the city's collapsed steel beams.

And she waited. In this form, her movement would be limited – but she had seen, in her vision of long ago, that she was meant to wear this shape right now, right this moment. And, if she were honest, it was probably better for her to remain like this, what with the blow Dartz had dealt to her. It was a blow she had allowed, but Dartz had not been gentle with his Touch of Blood, and though she had healed, she still felt a persistent exhaustion. It was necessary for her to conserve as much energy as possible, and transforming back would only serve to weaken her further.

Kisara couldn't afford any further weakness. There were three things she had to attend to – the first of which was the safety of the people of Battle city. The city was unsalvageable, its power core compromised; but the hunters, those who had survived, were still capable of fighting. And they would need to fight – very soon, Kisara knew, for Pegasus was now actively moving against them.

There was also the matter of her Keep. Akunadin was an agent of the Imperial court, and he had easily swayed the other eleven to his cause. She could not return, not right now; Akunadin was nearly as old as she was, and with eleven vampires – each of them semi-powerful nobles – backing him, Kisara held the disadvantage. The Keep, however, mattered very little to her – what did matter was the humans that she had been forced to leave behind, the refugee hunters of Domino. They were not without protection – the three Blue eyes, with their bloodthirsty master Kaiba, would be a force to be reckoned with. Still, she had taken a chance. A very slim chance. And she would not know if that gambit had paid off, not for some time yet.

_Limited vision_, she mused, her lips rippling away from her fangs. _Better not to see anything at all, I think._

After a time, a hunter came forward, moving at speed. Light flashed over red armor, pale ribbons trailing in the wind.

_Miho_, Kisara said. The hunter stopped before her, clearly exhausted, half falling to her knees in fatigue. In the space of a second, Miho's fingers suddenly flew into a series of complicated hunter hand-signs.

It was as Kisara had expected. The interior of Battle city was collapsing, with only the outer edges of the city still somewhat stable – but only just. Battle city's hunter force wasn't better off; less than half of the hunters were strong enough to fight, should a threat arise. The rest were seriously injured, in critical condition…and the healers' strength was on the wane, many of them over-strained, and completely drained of their healing power.

A bad situation – one that was about to get worse.

_What of Vivian? _Kisara asked. Miho blinked, and shook her head. Vivian had collapsed from exhaustion, Miho signed, and Mahaado was still trapped in some sort of complex compulsion-induced coma –

_Bring them to me,_ Kisara commanded._ And Otogi. I will do what I can for them. _

Battle city would need its leaders. Especially now, with the coming threat.

Miho looked up at her in confusion, but after a moment, she nodded.

Idly, Kisara clacked her teeth. _One more thing, before you go. I want you to order all of the hunters out here into the open. Escort the healers and the wounded as far away from Battle city's perimeter as you can._

There was still some time. The dhampir hadn't revealed himself to anyone as yet – but he would, and very soon.

Kisara hoped that Anzu would forgive her.

* * *

The realm of vampires was unlike anything he had ever seen – searing light and particles of darkness, otherworldly, ethereal. And this was only a very small part of it, the outer edge of a world more massive than any human could comprehend; the Queen had given him pieces of her memory that he could see, that he could understand, what lay before him. And Atem was glad that she had – because at first glance, this place was nearly overwhelming, immense in ways that seemed almost impossible to him. But he was here for only one task, and one task only – and his path was clear.

Gaia started forward. There was only the vague sound of the horse's armor, a whisper of metal, but that was enough; the defenses of this place activated, bolts of crimson light flaring.

Atem drew his sword. With a light touch of his fingers against Gaia's neck, the stallion turned, presenting his armored flanks.

A jet of the crimson light deflected off of Gaia's armor, and a second beam – fired rapid-quick after the first – rebounded against Atem's raised sword. He lowered himself over Gaia's back, deflecting the searing bolts of light with slow, precise swings of the blade, before he tangled his hands into the reins, and swung himself over Gaia's shoulder.

The horse compensated for the shift in weight, reducing his breakneck speed – all the while dodging the arcs of crackling crimson energy. Atem rotated his wrist, changing his grip over his sword's hilt.

He struck, his blade slicing through a wolf shaped body, rending metal in one clean stroke. The thing – almost as large as Gaia – fell, steel fangs snapping futilely at Atem's arm as it collapsed, smoking and bleeding out some pale, inorganic substance.

There were more – creatures tall as horses, and wolf-like in form, emerging from the shadows. They were all steel and transparent metal and dark fur; Atem swung again as a second one leapt, jaws angled to take him by the throat.

He fell into a rhythm, slashing smoothly with his sword, and shifting positions along Gaia's back as fast as he was able; they were like a whirlwind, the stallion moving as swift as quicksilver, rearing and biting as Atem all but danced over his spine, parrying beams of red energy and slashing through the jaws of the metal wolves.

And then they were past the defenses, the red light dying down and dozens of the wolves lying motionless where they had been cut down. Gaia snorted, crimson eyes gleaming; the horse tensed beneath him, impatiently tossing his silver mane. But the stallion stilled, muscles aquiver, ears laid back in unrestrained aggression.

There was a vampire above them, adorned in silk and armor – silk that was pale and delicate looking, curling over and armor that was smooth in places and jagged in others.

"Well, well. What do we have here? Some fool of a human come to play?" the vampire murmured, wings of bronze flaring open. "Welcome, human. You've made it past the barrier and the cyber wolves. Congratulations are in order…allow me to give them to you."

And then the vampire was upon him, a pale, clawed hand reaching for the vital artery of Atem's neck. A quick parry with the sword prevented the vampire's talons from taking his head, and his own hand struck the weak point in one of the vampire's wings. Gaia bucked, screaming, as Atem rose into a hand-stand, neatly avoiding the vampire's second strike.

His leg came down hard onto the vampire's shoulder as his sword slid past armor and silk and bit deep into flesh.

There was a sharp hiss. The vampire disengaged, one wing hanging limply, and blood flowing liberally from the gash Atem's sword had dealt to his chest.

"Interesting," the vampire said idly, seemingly unfazed by the wound and his crippled wing. "Where did you get that sword, mortal filth?"

Atem didn't bother answering – Gaia pivoted quickly, and lunged in the direction of the vampire. The vampire evaded, dodging the stallion with relative ease.

But not Atem's sword.

The edge of the blade sliced through the pale skin of the vampire's throat, tearing veins and artery. Blood spurted, crimson-black against white vampire skin, splattering over the vampire's silk and armor, over Atem's face.

And then Atem's sword found the vampire's heart. The sound of the vampire choking on his own blood, the sensation of the blade sliding into still beating muscle…exhilarating. The pleasure of a kill was always so fiery-hot, and for a moment he allowed that feeling to wash over him, to warm him as few other things did. He was not like Kaiba, who reveled in killing, and enjoyed little else; but nor was he like Ryou, who felt guilt each time he took a life. Atem treaded the middle ground, feeling neither deep guilt nor absolute bloodlust - only pleasure, as his sword dripped the dark heart's blood of the vampire.

Atem didn't bother cleaning the blade; there would be more threats, and there was little sense in wasting time cleansing the blade free of blood - a blade that was destined to taste the blood of countless other vampires before the end of night.

Gaia scraped an impatient hoof against the ground, his breath misting in the air. Atem remounted, holding the sword loosely at his side as he twitched the reins with an idle hand. The stallion started forward again, snorting and dancing, his muscles vibrating in excitement.

The Red Heart of the vampire empire lay before them. The Queen had been specific in her desire - she wanted Atem to destroy this place, to bring its Sub-emperor to his knees.

And he would oblige her.

* * *

The humans were wary of her, eyes full of what she could only describe as a mild hatred - but they listened, which was good enough, she supposed. One of the taller hunters - a captain, shoulder slung with an elaborate shield, adorned in armor of dark bronze - leveled her with eyes that gleamed with distrust and hot anger. But he didn't question her, and said nothing as she spoke. After she spoke, he gave her a quick nod before gesturing a command to the other hunters.

They slunk into the shadows, melding with the darkness. The captain - Honda - gave her one last, long look. "So help you if you're lying to us, vampire."

And then he, too, disappeared into shadow.

Anzu released a breath. That had been simpler than she'd expected - she had thought the hunters would take more convincing. But, then again, after everything that had happened, the hunters of Battle city would take even the smallest possibility of a threat seriously. Which was convenient for her, because now she could spend less time worrying about the humans and more time playing her role as bait…

_Now to do something stupid_, she thought, flinging open her wings.

She flew out of the shadows of Battle city's wings, and into the fading sunlight. In the back of her mind, Anzu felt the vaguest sense of the blood-bond, the ominous pulse of it disturbing and slightly terrifying.

Yugi was not close. Somewhere, within the disintegrating interior of Battle city, she felt him; but where he was, exactly, she couldn't pinpoint, because somehow he was disrupting the link of the blood-bond.

Which made things difficult. If she couldn't find him before things descended into chaos…

But no. She _would _find him - she had to.

Anzu soared above the heights of Battle city, into a strong current of wind. Drawing a breath, she extended out her wings full span, riding the heavy tide of the wind, and steeled herself.

Then she plunged her talons into the side of her neck. Blood splattered hot and fast into the air, saturating the wind.

The blood-bond flared so violently that she was momentarily paralyzed - she fought to breathe, her wings folding dangerously of their own accord. Burning anger, molten pain, agonizing hunger - all of it compressed into the smallest second.

_So I have your attention_, she thought, spreading her wings as the paralysis faded. Monstrous waves of bloodlust still lapped against the blood-bond, tearing at her, and it took every ounce of her strength to retain her composure. Her hands closed, talons sinking deep into her palms, as she re-centered herself, forcing herself to calm. She understood now a little more of what she was dealing with - and knew that she couldn't waste any more time.

Her wings snapping shut, Anzu plunged, down into the steel mass of Battle city.

There were still a few humans within the city - hunters combing the mangled corridors and bridges, armor glittering as she sped past them. They were alert, and she saw the edges of swords and stakes bared, and felt the slightest twinge of relief. They would be ready to defend and protect, and that was all the assurance that she needed.

She swerved, bearing left into a tunnel-like opening, as the blood-bond surged again. Darkness momentarily enveloped her, and then she was out, flying into open, sunlit air.

This area of Battle city lay untouched, free of the destruction that had been wrought everywhere else. It was almost pristine, with orange rays of sun illuminating clean steel pillars and platforms.

Pristine, if it weren't for the blood, for the screams. She saw hunters sliding in and out of shadows - fighting against some unseen force.

_Yugi._

She interposed herself between the invisible force and a fallen hunter - and the blade of a sword, its edge flashing blue, stopped short of slicing through her shoulder. The hunter she'd saved - bleeding and breathing heavily, weapon broken - struggled to his feet.

"Run," she said, voice low. "Run, all of you."

They obeyed, retreating - for which she was overwhelmingly grateful. Because she was going to have to fight. She had known that she would be forced to, when she had seen his mother dying, had seen how desperate he was to have her healed. But Anzu hadn't dared to touch his mother, had feared the repercussions - if she had tried to heal his mother, the woman would have only died all the sooner. Anzu did not want his mother's death on her hands; Anzu knew the pain that came, the anguish of knowing that there was a person responsible for her mother's death, responsible for her father's. She did not want to be like Pegasus, who dealt death so wantonly, who cared nothing of ruthlessly snatching a parent away…

And Yugi would have blamed her. The Yugi that she knew before, the human, perhaps would have forgiven her - but not this Yugi.

He looked human. He looked like the same person with whom she had formed the blood, the same person who had been her slave, her means to an end.

It was off-putting, and vaguely terrifying. The sword withdrew, the blade stained crimson with hunter blood; she watched it warily, anticipation rising within her.

"Why are you doing this?" She knew the reason, felt it over the link of the blood-bond. But she needed to hear him say it, to hear it from his own lips.

When he said nothing, his eyes dark and damning, Anzu realized that speaking was a waste of time - he had gone insane, and no words would reach him.

This was no longer about his mother - bloodlust was at the forefront of Yugi's mind, and he wouldn't stop until it was completely satiated. And now things were truly dangerous, because a berserker was not so easily dealt with…not without copious amounts of blood.

_I guess I'm going to be a sacrificial lamb to slaughter_, Anzu thought, ignoring the nausea twisting in the pit of her stomach. Kisara had given her the charge to protect Battle city, and she would do it - even against Yugi.

She lunged forward, and her talons tore deep into his skin, rending the muscles of his shoulder. In the next instant she was airborne, her fingers wet with his blood.

Anzu spared a single glance back. He was still there, still unmoving, as though nothing had happened at all -

There was the sound of wings. It happened so quickly that Anzu could hardly make sense of it - suddenly she saw them, wings opening, unfurling almost languidly, feathers brilliant and dark and strangely hypnotic…

Yugi had shed his human form far more easily than Anzu had ever managed with her own human guise. And he rose, rapidly closing in- fast as thought. She back-winged, shock surging within her; mid-air and mere inches from her, he was still changing, the short hair lengthening into wavy tendrils, the storm-colored eyes paling to silver.

Anzu forced her wings into the downbeat, struggling to establish some distance. And then she sped upward, focusing only on getting _out_ - out of Battle city, out into the sky.

Yugi remained close behind her, the whisper of his wings utterly sinister to her ears.

She burst out into cool twilight air, and soared into the upper reaches of the clouds.

_Now, _she thought, _it's time to dance._


	12. In Journeys Inbetween

When he woke, there was the sound of thunder and the lingering taste of blood in his mouth. The air was cool over his face, and so his first thought was _a storm is coming_, and it was time enough for him to be awake. His hunters needed to be prepared, because the storm, whenever it hit, would be bad. Very bad. He could feel it, like always - he had had the ability to sense the change in the air currents, to feel a storm, since his days of wandering the streets of Domino.

Except... when he opened his eyes, he saw something that made him forget about the coming storm. Long sinuous necks curved in the dim light, and there were glowing blue eyes in the dark, blazing and hot. A three headed dragon - great translucent wings arched against the darkness of the skyline - loomed above him.

_Kisara_.

The dragon's massive central head turned, those shining blue eyes suddenly regarding him. _Otogi_, her voice said in his mind, echoing just as much as the storm's thunder. _You've been asleep for a long time_.

"Yeah," he whispered, wondering if it was worth it to even attempt to sit up. There was a good bit of pain - his head was pounding violently, and his throat was incredibly sore. It felt as though someone had hit him with a steel mace, before trying to throttle the life out of him.

Eventually, after a few seconds of struggle, he managed it. It took him even longer to get his bearings; the headache left him disorientated, momentarily unable to focus. His vision was blurred, disjointed - besides Kisara's massive form, he could make out very little. There was the glint of what Otogi knew to be hunter-armor, and the amount of noise - a cacophony of voices, and the rustle of rapid movement - spoke of some sort of crisis. That worried him. He didn't know where he was, or how he'd gotten to this place - but he knew, instinctively, that those were his hunters, his people.

"Kisara," he croaked, words coming to him with great difficulty. "What's going on - "

The dragon murmured a single word in his mind. _Trouble. _

Confusion. It rose within him quickly, only to be quashed as his vision cleared. What his eyes saw in the distance, Otogi didn't want to believe. Battle city lay grounded. Worse than grounded - it was an absolute, utter wreck. Completely destroyed. Never in Otogi's wildest nightmares had he even dared to think that he would ever see Battle city in such a state. His city...his home, had traversed the sky for nearly a thousand years without touching earth. And now all of that was gone, completely undone.

The worst of it was, he remembered exactly where he had been when Battle city had fallen. Instead of sitting in the First Captain's seat, directing his hunters as he should have been, he had been no where near Battle city. No where near his hunters, when they had needed him the most -

_Don't dwell on it_, _Otogi._ Kisara's main head gazed down at him, blue eyes aglitter. _Now isn't the time_.

He had to know what happened. "Tell me what's going on. Please." And she did. Kisara told him everything from the beginning, her dragon's gaze boring into him. The moment she finished, he wished she hadn't told him anything. He wished he'd just kept his mouth shut - it was better to live in ignorance than to know that he had failed.

It had all started with Atem. Atem, the arrogant filth of the equally arrogant city of Domino. Otogi could feel the old hatred welling inside of him, the anger he always felt when he thought of Domino, of its people, of its leader. He realized that he hated Atem just as much as Domino, if not more; for Atem, the self-proclaimed prince of hunters, embodied everything that he despised about that city. Still. As much as Otogi wanted to blame Atem for what had happened, a part of him knew he couldn't. He remembered what he had done - it was him who had attacked Atem first, down in the cavern of Battle city's transfer gate, and Atem had merely retaliated in defense. That retaliation had wiped Otogi of nearly all conscious thought, and if it hadn't been for Kisara, he would be all but brain-dead now. Somehow, the thought of what could have happened to him - the thought of living out his existence in a vegetative state - didn't worry him. What did bother him was the motive.

He could recall almost everything about the fight with Atem, down to the smallest detail. The memory of his hatred for Atem, for the man's sheer audacity to enter Battle city without his permission...that, Otogi remembered very well. But his hatred and bitterness for Domino and its leader wasn't so strong that he would simply abandon his post as First Captain. Ever. But he had done so - he'd left Battle city to fend for itself, had left his captains without their commander, all so he could attack Atem. Kill Atem. But it made absolutely no sense. As much as he despised the man, Otogi couldn't see himself initiating an assault against another hunter for any reason. Not to mention that he had come close to killing Rebecca, just so he could get to Atem.

Otogi felt sick just thinking about it. Something must have happened to him - had to have happened to him - for him to even contemplate hurting her...

And he didn't know what it was. It was clear to him that he hadn't been in his right mind, down in the cavern. Though he couldn't think of Atem with anything but hatred, Otogi suddenly felt a small measure of gratitude toward the man. Atem had stopped him before he could have done anything else he would have lived to regret. As it was - despite Atem nearly destroying his mind - regret was already weighing heavily upon him. And it was growing. The more his vision cleared, and his eyes saw how truly ruined Battle city was, the more Otogi felt the regret choking him, the guilt building within him until he thought he would vomit.

It came close to that, actually. Bile was rising in the back of his throat, and if it hadn't been for the cool hand that suddenly slid over his own, he might well have vomited all over his lap.

Otogi's gaze flickered to the side. Vivian. Her face was pale, her eyes slightly glazed over, her skin tinged green - she looked the way Otogi felt. "You're awake. Finally. I thought I was going to have to punch you."

"Glad you didn't," he said, relief washing over him. It was good to see her, to know that she was alive. She and Mahaado were the strongest of all his captains, but still...

...Still, he hadn't known if she had died, too, because of him. Kisara had been candid enough in her description of what had happened - that four of his captains had been killed when Battle city had crashed to the ground.

Thinking of that, Otogi fought the urge to vomit again. Vivian was alive, and according to Kisara, so was Mahaado. Ten of his fourteen captains, still breathing. It could have been worse. It could have been. But in his mind, he couldn't let go of it. Not once, in his centuries long stint as First Captain, had he ever abandoned his people. And now four of his captains were dead, because of his , rather, lack of action.

Vivian braced herself against him, leaning much of her weight against his shoulder. Her fingers shook over his hand, and Otogi realized that his initial assessment of her had been spot on - she was really, really bad off.

Otogi knew Vivian well enough that he didn't say anything, though he worried. She looked ready to collapse any second now, her breathing haggard. And she was scared. He could feel it, sense it in her trembling fingers. So he said the only thing he thought would give her some reassurance. "You saved my city," He whispered in a low voice. "Thank you."

Vivian released a breath, that sounded suspiciously like a low sob. "I didn't...I couldn't save everyone -"

"Not your fault," he said, his throat tightening. _No. Not your fault, Vivian. Mine._ Vivian's grip on his hand became almost crushing. "I'm glad you're back, Otogi."

At that moment, lightning flashed in the distance. Otogi felt Vivian go still against him, and he gazed up, his eyes catching the second strike. And it was...strange. Normal lightning dissipated as fast as the blink of an eye - the searing light from this lightning lasted for several heartbeats, and was explosively blinding, to the point that Otogi couldn't bear to look directly at it.

Vivian released a sharp hiss of a whisper. "What...what is that?"

One of Kisara's necks dipped gracefully, her dragon's head hovering mere feet above them._ A problem_, she said within their minds. _One that I will need your help with, Otogi, Vivian._

Otogi immediately knew that, whatever Kisara was planning, he wasn't going to like it. But he drew a deep breath, and asked the question anyway. "What do you want us to do?"

Lips rippled away from teeth, and Otogi saw just how immense Kisara's dragon mouth was - those fangs were easily more than three times his height - as she gave a sort of grimace. _Stand, Otogi. It is time to re-assume your title as First-Captain. You, Vivian, and Mahaado are going to lead your people to safety._

"Um, safety?" Vivian asked, sitting up straight."And by that you mean...?"

_The Blue realm_, Kisara said simply. Another bolt of that odd lightning struck, washing Kisara's form in harsh golden light.

Otogi felt his heart nearly stop. "The Blue realm?" he breathed incredulously. "You can't be serious, Kisara."

_I am_. All of her dragon's heads lowered, the gaze of three sets of shining eyes leveling upon them._ Go now. Prepare your hunters. Be ready to fight._

* * *

He saw her through the cloud cover. The tips of her wings sliced through the blanket of dark clouds, barely visible, but her blood vessels blazed - her veins and arteries glowing so brilliantly - even in darkness.

_She's running_, a voice said very softly within his mind. _But she won't get far._

Blood ran, warm and fresh, down his neck, his shoulder, his arm. His blood. Her talons had pierced deep, but he felt nothing, not even the slightest inkling of pain. He could feel very little, besides the desire to taste it - her fear, her terror, laced within her blood. But not yet. This was a game, and he wasn't going to stop playing, not now, when things had gotten so...tantalizing.

Suddenly she was out of the clouds, and very, very close. He had half expected this change of tactics, had known that she would attack him again like this. Their fight had been nothing but a series of short bursts of violence, with Anzu engaging him, before breaking away to resume their chase. He allowed it, because he enjoyed seeing her run. She thought she was protecting the humans from him - she believed so firmly that this game of chase would distract him from the slaughter he so desired.

She was wrong. So wrong. Once he finished playing with her, the hunters would be his - his to kill at will, slowly, and with relish.

Anzu collided with him, her talons sliding so sweetly into his back. The pain, very much like knives sinking into his spine, was vague, easily ignored. He felt the pain of the hunger even more, an insistent agony searing the back of his throat. With her so near to him, he was nearly overwhelmed by it, consumed by the blood-lust that had grown within him for so long, for years upon years.

But it wasn't time yet for the game to end. Anzu was making a decisive move - and he wanted to see what she would do, see in her eyes the moment she realized that everything was futile, that she was nothing but prey. He tilted his head, gazing at her in the peripheral of his vision. Yes...her eyes were that beautiful, monstrous blue, glowing hot with desperation.

But not fear. Not yet. But soon. Very soon.

He flared open his wings, compensating for her weight. But they continued to descend, blood splattering into the wind and the air screaming. Her talons dug deeper, sinking into muscle. He felt the warmth of her breath, close to his ear. She whispered his name. "_Yugi_."

And then she bit him.

Her fangs produced exquisite agony - an utterly delicious pain, blooming in the juncture between his shoulder and throat._ Is that your plan, Anzu_? He smiled, half closing his eyes. She was so easy to read - he could see through her, understand her intent, all through her fangs sliding into his veins._ So you think weakening me like this will work?_

They fell ever closer to earth, clouds giving way to the dark surfaces of sea and land. There was weakness, the first twinges of numb feeling beginning to take hold at the tips of his fingers. She wouldn't stop until he was nearly drained of blood - until he was stripped of all power. And then...then she could control him, as she had done before, transform him into her pathetic slave.

_No._ Never again. He would not bow to her. The situation was reversed, now - she was his. He could do anything with her that he wanted.

And now it was time she learned the truth of that.

Yugi folded his wings, flipping over onto his back. For a moment, Anzu held him, her fangs still buried deep in the main artery of his neck - before she let go, her wings flickering open.

He knew she would try to run again, so he put a stop to it before she could even establish an inch of distance. There would be no more running, no more of her pointless evasion. The game had reached its end - he was finished playing with her.

They met again in midair, his hands clasping both of hers, palm to palm, talons interlocking. Seeing her face to face - the perfection of her features marred by blood, her eyes blazing, her fangs bared - he couldn't help but laugh at her. It was a calm, soft laughter that he couldn't suppress, and he pulled her closer to him, so she could hear. "Your plan didn't work," he said, smiling all the more when her eyes paled further with rage. "What will you do now?"

She said nothing, gazing back at him hatefully. Ah, she really had no idea. Anzu had no concept, no understanding - no inkling, of what was going to happen. _You hate me now, Anzu_, he mused, _you'll hate me even more after this._

He abruptly switched his grip, releasing her hands to take a hold of her wrists. Then he slid his fingers down her arms, his touch soft as he drew her closer against him.

Dangerous. He knew it was a dangerous move, because Anzu responded to his sudden gentleness with violence; her talons caught him in his face, cleanly slicing the flesh just beneath his eye. Her power washed over him, manifesting in another explosive flash of golden lightning. She was so strong. She hid it, as she had hidden everything about herself, but now he could truly see her strength, feel it.

Anzu should have used her strength to kill him, but she hadn't - she'd fought him, injured him, but she didn't kill. He couldn't read her mind, couldn't gaze into her thoughts, but Yugi understood her more in this moment than he had ever before. Anzu didn't try to kill him, not because she couldn't, but because she wouldn't.

What a mistake. Anzu wanted to protect the humans, but she wouldn't do what was necessary. She was so strong, so powerful, but still weak.

He laughed again, laughed right in her face, before he kissed her. Anzu tensed further against him, before her body went still, her talons sliding into his side. Yugi had known the danger, but the game had been too enjoyable, especially this - this moment, when he could lose himself in the pitiful, weak emotion that he couldn't name, when he could indulge in the taste of Anzu's fear.

And she was finally afraid. He could feel it, sense the depth of her fear even as she returned his kiss. _You love me_, he whispered into her mind, softly, so softly. _That's why you won't stop me_.

The dark madness of the hunger rolled over him, threatening to overtake him completely. But he held on to what was left of his sanity, because he wanted to savor every moment of this, to draw it out as long as he possibly could. Then, as the night sky whirled and spun, the ground rose up suddenly to meet them. Breaking their kiss, he flung open his wings, catching enough wind to gentle their landing.

Anzu's talons dug deeper, sinking further into his sides. Her face was devoid of emotion, her near perfect vampire features expressionless - so much like the first time he'd laid eyes upon her, in Pegasus's palace.

It was different, now. That day, when he had lain dying, she had been in control, and everything had been to her advantage. He had been so weak then, both physically and mentally - helpless, before her. Right now, with her back to the ground, her blue wings spayed over the grass, it was Anzu who was helpless, caught within the confines of his power.

He smirked, and leaned in closer, pressing his forehead to hers. Anzu's eyes still burned, fiery pale, so incredibly mesmerizing. He brushed his fingers down her cheek. "I'm going to kill them," he murmured in a low, quiet voice. His fingers traced the smooth line of her jaw, then ghosted along her neck. "All of the humans. You failed."

He kissed her again, a slow, languid kiss. It was sweet, incredibly so, and he very nearly forgot the dark, insidious hunger burning within his throat. But her blood called to him. All too soon - within the space of seconds - it became excruciating holding back the thirst, denying the blood-lust.

So he gave in.

Yugi felt Anzu exhale, her body trembling ever so slightly beneath him, as he sank his fangs into the skin of her throat. Yugi remembered the agony, the intense pain, when she had bitten him - he remembered it, but he couldn't stop. Her blood filled his mouth, and he shuddered against the taste, so hot, so sinfully delicious...

It wasn't enough. Her blood flowed lusciously over his tongue - electrifying. The pain was dissipating, but now desire was replacing it, the longing, for more of her blood; Yugi released a slow breath, his fingers clenching into the grass. He was going to drink every drop from her veins, until the hunger subsided, until the pain disappeared completely.

"Take it," she whispered, her voice softer than a breath. "Take everything."

_I will._

He did. He drank her blood until her pulse slowed. Until her breathing eased. And still - still - it wasn't enough. Anzu's blood wasn't enough for him, but he needed it to be -

He needed her. She couldn't die - _this_ was a close to another person as he had ever been, so close that he knew the train of her thoughts without having to read her mind. Anzu was trying to save him, even more than she was trying to save the humans; that was the reason she had allowed him to catch her, allowed him to drink her blood. She was the sacrifice. His sacrifice.

It hurt, thinking about it. Knowing the truth. Jonouchi, Mana, Ryou, his mother...none of them would have done the same. Not even Atem, who hated vampires more than anything else. Who would hate him, if he knew what Yugi was. Anzu had known this would happen, and she had done it anyway.

He was going to kill her, but he couldn't stop. Because his mother had been right in everything that she had said. That he was a monster, and nothing else.

Anzu couldn't save him. He released an agonized breath, shuddering uncontrollably. She was going to die. He could feel it now - her heart slowing as her life draining away with her blood.

He heard her voice, the barest of whispers. "Don't stop."

Such a soft plea. And one that he couldn't obey. He wanted more of her blood; his hunger demanded it, the luscious ecstasy of it. But...he couldn't let her die.

The humans of Battle city, however...they could die. Die to satiate his hunger.

He withdrew, easing his fangs from her throat. Gently, he traced his fingertips over her jaw, even as he struggled against the force of the blood lust.

Anzu gazed up at him, her eyes half open. "What...are you doing?" she breathed, her lips parting slightly.

He leaned in, pressing his cheek against hers, slowly breathing in her scent. "Saving you from me," he said softly.

She shook violently as he drew her into his arms. He cradled her close, in an effort to negate the cold that was creeping over her skin. The faint pulse of her heartbeat echoed in his ears.

Then he flew. Battle city wasn't far. An hour, perhaps. They would reach it before dawn.

Anzu would be safe there. The dragon could help her - would help her. Kisara easily had the power to restore Anzu, even after all he had done.

Once she was safe, he would kill. Everyone. Until he spilled enough blood to satisfy the hunger.

_Enough blood to end the insanity._

* * *

Shizuka came in the dark of morning, bearing tea and a plate of very late dinner, along with a look in her eyes that promised trouble. Ryou hadn't had tea for weeks, ever since Domino's destruction. So took the tea without comment, eating his dinner quietly while he waited for her to speak.

The tea was surprisingly good, and the dinner passable - bread, with some sort of porridge and a few slices of unidentifiable meat. Kisara, before she had left the Keep, had bestowed them with enough food and medical supplies to hold them for months, if they were careful. Shizuka had taken it upon herself to make certain that they _were_ careful, so there had been few problems so far as food and medicine were concerned.

But that wasn't the problem. _Shizuka _was the problem.

Inwardly, he steeled himself. Shizuka's eyes were as calm and gentle as ever, her hands deft as she absently redid the buttons of her healer's coat. Ryou watched her covertly, chewing the last hunk of his bread. His mind raced all the while, thinking of possible scenarios and discarding them just as quickly. An idea finally formed - one that might be a good solution to the problem. The Shizuka problem.

He hardly noticed that he had finished his dinner. Ever efficient, Shizuka whisked away his empty cup of tea and his equally empty bowl - as though he were an invalid, still. Another hunter, perhaps, would have been irritated with her, but Ryou knew her too well to be annoyed. Shizuka only ever did this - this hovering, mother-hen thing - when she was worried. Or terrified out of her mind.

Ryou imagined that it was the latter. Shizuka had hidden it well, but he had still seen it - the minute trembling of her hands.

He had never had any issue with Shizuka as their leader. It had been the last thing he'd expected, certainly; Shizuka was much like him - quiet and introspective and gentle. She was gentler than him, really. But she had taken control alongside Kaiba when they had needed a leader most. Ryou respected her for that, more than anything. Anyone who could overcome the pain of Domino's desolation, the anguish of a brother's death...

...not to mention work with Kaiba. For that alone, Shizuka commanded so much of Ryou's respect that he would go to hell and back for her, if she asked.

Except for now. He knew that she was going to ask him to do something that he just couldn't acquiesce to - something that had been on her mind for several hours, Ryou knew.

Without preamble, she said it. "I'm going after Kaiba." Her eyes, that deep hazel-green, bored into his own. "I ask you to take over for me, Ryou. Please."

Take over. Of that, Ryou had absolutely no intention. But he knew better than to say that outright; so he chose his words with the utmost care, because while Shizuka was gentle and mostly soft-spoken, she _was _Jonouchi's sister, and that said enough. Stubbornness and rash, reckless behavior ran in her blood, and Shizuka did have a temper - though she was careful to keep it hidden, most of the time.

She probably wouldn't now, though. Not when she so needed him to obey, and he was going to refuse her; this would probably be...rather painful for him. "No," he said quietly, looking directly into her eyes. "I can't do that." _Not when you're going to willingly thrust yourself into danger without good reason._

She smiled - a soft, gentle smile. "I should have known you would refuse," she murmured, her hand absently reaching for his. Her fingers trailed over his wrist, before closing over his hand. "But I need you. Our people need you. Why..?"

"Who is going with you?"

A blunt question, but Shizuka barely blinked before answering. "No one."

Ryou drew a breath. "So you plan to go alone."

"I do."

He waited a beat, staring into her eyes, and seeing only defiant determination within them. Then he stood. "Walk with me, Shizuka."

Walking was difficult, still. He was mostly healed, the wound tracing down his side closed and scarring, but weakness lingered. Shizuka hovered close to him. Outside it was strangely bright, the Keep drenched in moonlight, and made all the darker because of it. Their make-shift village - _very _make-shift - was mostly quiet this time of night, though there were a dozen hunters stationed as lookouts on the fringes.

Not enough look-outs, Ryou thought, but it was all they could manage. What was left of Domino existed here, in the shadows of Kisara's Keep, and it wasn't much. At last count, there were fewer than three hundred hunters, and of that number only a small fraction were able-bodied. The healers, all ten of them besides Shizuka, had been run ragged, but there was no changing their situation - most of their people were crippled, or stricken with slow-healing wounds.

But he was still able to count their blessings, few as they were. Kisara had given them what they'd needed here, and, if they'd had more time, Ryou was certain that they could begin regaining their collective strength, and solidifying their forces. He had, at one point - perhaps optimistically - began creating a contingency plan, one that would eventually involve them leaving Kisara's Keep to search for those who had escaped into Battle city, and then...start over. Completely. Domino was done for, but the vampiric threat still lingered, as it had for generations. If there had been time, Ryou would have met with Kaiba to discuss the possibilities of rebuilding Domino and their people. If, _if. _

But there wasn't any time. Kisara was gone, and Ryou knew what that meant: they were sitting ducks here in her Keep. The threat of twelve vampires awaited them, and Ryou knew that it would only be a short matter of time before those vampires struck, and struck hard. And they weren't ready. They never would be, really, but Ryou had made preparations anyway.

He had known, for some time, that Kaiba would do this - go off to fight against a vampire force of overwhelming odds, despite the fact that they needed him, needed a leader to guide them. It was just like Kaiba; the man, for all that he had publicly despised Jonouchi, was nearly as rash as Jonouchi had been.

_I just hope he comes back alive, _Ryou mused grimly. _Jonouchi didn't._

A morbid thought. In the back of his mind, he felt pain remembering Jonouchi's death, but he bore it as well as he could. It was far worse for Shizuka - she never cried where anyone could see her, but Ryou knew that it happened, and happened often. He could sense it, see it in the way that she carried herself, with such desperate intensity.

And perhaps that was way he was going to do this. Shizuka, more than anyone, had been instrumental in their people's survival after they had escaped from Domino. Without her, most of Domino's remnant would be dead. _He _would be dead. And yet, though Shizuka had healed so many, and had kept healing people past her breaking point, Ryou knew that Jonouchi had been the one person she wished she could _truly _heal. The dead brother that wasn't coming back.

Ryou owed it to Shizuka - _owed _it to Jonouchi - to make certain that she didn't waste her life on a suicide mission.

"I'm going with you."

He said the words without preamble. Shizuka stopped, visibly stiffening. She shook her head. "I don't need you to. I want you here."

"I know what you want. I can't let you do it alone."

She wrapped her fingers around his arm "Our people need a leader. If something should happen to Kaiba, or to myself - "

Ryou felt his lips twist into a tight smile. "Which is why I'm going with you. To make sure nothing happens," he said. "I would make a poor leader anyway, even temporarily. I have someone...better, in mind."

She stared at him in confusion, but said nothing further, frowning. Ryou led her deeper into the Keep, to Kaiba's Blue Eyes.

The dragon was mostly hidden in shadow, darkness sliding over her scales like water; the instant they drew into her presence, however, the dragon's sinuous neck rose, those hot, glowing blue eyes turning to regard them.

"Ryou," Shizuka whispered lowly, beneath her breath, "when you said you had someone in mind..."

"Yes. I meant her." _The dragon. _

"And now, you're going to tell me that you haven't gone insane. Please tell me that."

"I haven't," Ryou said softly. "I'm sane. Really. And this is a good idea." _Or, at least, the best idea I could come up with on short notice. _

She shot him a dark, incredulous look. "I don't believe you. You can't be sane right now, because if you were, you would have taken over as I requested, not insist that we leave a dragon to lead our people."

"I've been doing some research. Or I was doing research anyway, back in Domino. Do you know that Kaiba's the only person who has ever tamed a Blue Eyes? I've always found that...strange. Especially since Kaiba's not much of a talker." Well, unless he was insulting people. Kaiba certainly talked a lot then.

"What does Kaiba being a talker have anything to do with this? With us?" Shizuka looked slightly disturbed. Ryou couldn't blame her because, while he was certain that he was right and that he wasn't crazy, his words were going to sound totally ludicrous.

"I have a theory based on my research," he said, before he slowly, gently, extricated his arm out of her grasp. He walked toward the Blue Eyes, well aware of Shizuka's worried gaze upon his back. "Since Kaiba doesn't do a lot of talking, how did he communicate enough with his Blue Eyes to control them? I believe that it isn't Kaiba doing the talking. It's the dragons."

Ryou fully expected Shizuka to proclaim him truly insane right then and there - but she remained silent, and when he cast a brief glance in her direction, her face didn't look stricken with shock. She looked almost...resigned, as though Ryou had confirmed a truth that she had already known.

He turned back to face the Blue Eyes. Besides Kaiba, the only two people who ever dared approach any of Kaiba's dragons were Mana and Yugi. And of those two, only Yugi had ever been able to do so effectively. So, how had Yugi done it?

Ryou just wasn't sure. But, he decided, a hefty bit of respect would probably go a long way. So he bowed to the dragon in deference, and asked in a low voice, "Could I speak with you?"

He heard, above the answering silence, Shizuka's hissed whisper. _You've changed, Ryou. _

Ryou inwardly agreed. He had changed, though he wasn't sure if it was for the better. Before, he had been content with a life of quiet research, studying history and lore like his peers studied combat and warfare. He'd been happy to watch his friends - and his _twin _- rise in the ranks, while he learned about the seventh hidden language of the vampires, or the advanced technologies of the first hunters.

And he had been a liability. Ryou could fight, though he didn't enjoy it like some, and wasn't as adept at it as he could have been...as his brother, Bakura was. If he had been a stronger hunter in the days of Domino's fall, perhaps things would be different now. Perhaps there would be fewer people dead, fewer hunters crippled.

Knowing that he could have been _better_, an asset instead of a weakness...that had changed him. He had felt the change the moment his twin's blade had ripped through his torso, and he had been driven to his knees, forced to the edge of death, because Bakura had been better than him in nearly every possible way.

_I was outmatched. _Ryou bowed further, keeping that image so firmly within his mind - of Bakura standing over him, laughing and laughing.

He felt the dragon's power wash over him, and breathed in the overwhelming scent of electricity. For a while, there was nothing, other than the disconcerting feeling of the Blue Eyes' stare, measuring him in the silence.

And then..._ Speak to me, Ryou._

Ryou kept his surprise hidden as best as he could. Theories were one thing, but to actually be proven right...that was another.

"We want to assist Kaiba," he said, slowly raising his eyes to meet the gaze of the dragon. "But we can't leave our people without someone to lead them."

The neck of the Blue Eyes lowered. _So you want me to do it_, a feminine voice murmured in his mind.

"Yes," he said.

The tip of the dragon's tail curled loosely around him. _I'm sorry. I can't. _

It was funny, but Ryou hadn't expected the Blue Eyes to decline. So he couldn't help the first word that slipped out of his mouth. "Why...?"

Those shining blue eyes narrowed, before the dragon rose, uncoiling herself gracefully from the ground. Her gaze turned skyward._ Because he's here._

Ryou blinked. What?

Then he saw what the dragon meant - saw what she saw in the night sky, silhouetted against the pale glow of the moon.

The wings of a vampire.

His mind stalled for an instant. A vampire. Only one, but the implications of even a single vampire here staggered him.

"_Damn_," he cursed, instinctively reaching for his knives - before remembering he didn't have them. He cursed again, fear surging sickeningly within him, his mind racing.

The hunters on guard duty had yet to call out a signal, despite the obvious danger. Ryou realized that no one else had seen the vampire yet; the vampire was flying in at an odd angle, obscured by moonlight and shadow. By the time the guards recognized the threat, it would be too late.

Shizuka, calm as ever, placed a hand over his shoulder. "We need a plan."

Right. She was right. A plan. Now.

He looked to the Blue Eyes. "I have a new request," Ryou said, an idea forming. "Do you mind striking up a conversation with that vampire for a bit?"

_Conversation?_ The dragon's jaws snapped contemplatively. And then her lips drew back away from her teeth, into something like a smile. The most disturbing, frightening smile Ryou had ever seen. _Oh yes. I suppose I could do that._

"Shizuka. We're running. Let's go."

The dragon tensed, then surged suddenly into the air, thunderous wing-beats producing massive gusts of wind. He and Shizuka ran in the wake of that wind, with Ryou relaying his plan - if he could even call it that - to her between strides. The Blue Eyes was going to buy them time enough to prepare, and they were going to make use of every second of it. Shizuka would go to the healers, of course. And Ryou would go to retrieve his knives and armor, and take every able bodied hunter to meet those vampires pound for pound.

Between them, they said nothing about Kaiba. No time. But Ryou's mind played with various scenarios, each one just as likely to have happened as the next -and all of them ending in Kaiba's death. Because Ryou couldn't see Kaiba, one of the most powerful hunters of their generation, failing in his mission and allowing even a single vampire to escape. It was stupid of him to believe it, truly and completely illogical - for Kaiba was only one man, against eleven vampires. Odds so poor Ryou had to swallow back bile just thinking of it.

But Ryou _had _believed it. He really couldn't understand why he'd put so much faith into Kaiba. Even with the overwhelming might of two Blue Eyes backing him, Kaiba's chances had been ridiculously slim. So why had Ryou thought the man would still triumph despite everything?

Strength. Kaiba was strong, against all odds. Strong, even in the face of greater strength. _Kaiba's the sort that wins. That's it._

He envied Kaiba for that. And Atem, too, for Atem had that inexplicable quality also - the power to win, at any place and at any time - in an even greater quantity than Kaiba.

So Ryou had to win. Win, or his people would die.

He needed his armor, and his hands ached for his knives. Shizuka kept pace with him easily, moving with all the grace and ease of a fully trained hunter.

It was a good thing, then, that she _had _actually been trained in the ways of hunting, perhaps more than any other healer. Ryou remembered her training alongside of them - recalled the days when Shizuka, shy and gentle seeming as she had been, had trounced her brother more than once during combat training. Ryou had found it odd then, seeing Shizuka with them, when she should have remained in the Healer's Hall with the rest of the healing novices.

He was overwhelmingly grateful now. The Shizuka of their novice days had been rebellious - all the way up to the moment when her mother had forcefully dragged her out of hunter training - but perhaps that old rebellion would help them.

They would certainly need all the help they could get. Ryou didn't know what had happened to Kaiba, but if even a single vampire was here, there was the possibility that more were on their way...

Something flickered in the corner of his eye. He saw it, his mind processing it within a split second.

Ryou felt oddly secure knowing that Shizuka could hold her own in a fight. So when he reached out and grabbed her wrist, there was no hesitance on her part, no moment of confusion. She simply moved with him, impressively fast, her body tensing just as much as his.

The body of the Blue Eyes White dragon crashed to the ground - right where they'd stood only a second before.

Blood. The dragon's white scale was stained crimson, a deep oozing gash tracing itself down the side of her chest.

A roar ripped from her jaws, electricity crackling along her teeth. Ryou knew what was coming, felt the hair on the back of his neck rise, and ducked, pulling Shizuka down with him.

A stream of concentrated lightning flashed over their heads. Ryou half-closed his eyes, the white lightning momentarily blinding him. The second his eyes readjusted, he was on his feet, and so was Shizuka.

The Blue Eyes reared up, neck arching back like a striking cobra, wings flaring out and wide. Blood splattered to the ground in a thick deluge; the dragon's wound was deeper than it had first appeared. Ryou made a quick decision.

He released Shizuka's wrist, catching her eyes for the barest second. She nodded with a quick jerk of her head, before running to stand beneath the Blue Eyes' left wing.

Ryou took his position beneath the right. There was no moment, in all of his life, that he'd ever wished he'd had his knives this badly.

They stood against the vampire - tall, with wings of pale brown, short red hair waving in a passing breeze. The vampire's skin was unmarked, whole, but the fingers were coated in blood. Dragon's blood.

Ryou recognized him. He'd made it a point to analyze all of the vampires of the Keep from Kisara's mainframe; the information he'd gotten, from the short time he'd had to study them, led him to the conclusion that these were monsters of such strength no hunter of Domino had ever encountered their like. The twelve vampires under Kisara were on a completely different level. That Kaiba's strongest, largest Blue Eyes had been even momentarily defeated...bad. Very, very bad.

This vampire went by the name of Amelda. As far as Ryou knew, Amelda was a vampire of middling age - five hundred and seventy eight years old - and a former noble of Pegasus's Imperial court. Amelda's abilities spoke to an affinity with fire, but that was as much as Ryou had been able to discover.

_I guess we'll be learning more now, _Ryou thought grimly. He fell into a basic fighting stance. Hand to hand combat was far from his forte, but it would have to be enough. Enough to win.

"Hello, puny humans," Amelda said, smiling, flicking his fingers free of blood. "Akunadin, the new master of this Keep, has ordered your destruction. I'm here to give it to you."

* * *

_I failed._

The same thought repeated itself in her mind over and over again. _Failed, failed, failed. _There would be blood on her hands soon, because she hadn't been able to stop him. Blood everywhere, because Yugi would kill and keep killing - even her blood hadn't been enough. Slaughter. The humans that Kisara had wanted her to protect - the humans that Anzu had given her word she would keep safe - they would all be slaughtered, if no one stopped him.

She had to try again. Every part of her body felt numb, and cold, and...tired. It was a complete, all encompassing exhaustion, like nothing she'd ever experienced before. Right now, she knew that there was no doubt she was going to die. Die long before she could even begin to take her revenge on Pegasus. But, for whatever reason, she didn't feel regret. Her vengeance, which she had waited to complete for years upon years, had become irrelevant. _He _had made it irrelevant.

She was a fool. A true fool. But she'd made her choice. She'd chosen Yugi over the humans of Battle city - and over her vengeance. Her parents...her parents would never be avenged.

No regret. None, at all. If Anzu hadn't known any better, she would have thought she'd gone insane.

And there was the possibility that she had. The chance that Yugi would indeed murder his fellow hunters in cold, savage blood lust was great; the chance that Anzu was right in her hunch, on the other hand, was incredibly slim. Almost nonexistent. But it was a chance that she had taken, knowing that there was no other way.

It was dawn. Anzu felt the warm-cool air of it, and the slight heat of new sunlight. Yugi's wings slowed in their rhythm.

Anzu opened her eyes. Much of her sight was obscured by wavy tendrils of his hair, but she still saw. The ruin of Battle city sudden spayed beneath them, and she could sense - hazily - the vast, powerful mind of Kisara in the distance.

They were here. It was time.

In the next moment they touched down, Yugi landing with the utmost grace, his dark wings folding with only a faint whisper of sound.

He lay her against the softness of the grass. His eyes roamed over her face, and his hand - slow and gentle - ghosted over her neck. He lingered over the skin just beneath her jaw, fingertips touching the puncture wounds his fangs had left.

She heard it - his voice, a dark caress, barely there. Less than a whisper. _Forgive me._

Forgiveness for what he had done to her. Forgiveness for what he was about to do to the humans.

"No," Anzu said. "No. I don't forgive."

This was the part she had to play carefully - with the greatest caution she'd ever exerted, because this was the moment. This moment, which would decide whether or not Battle city humans died today. The same moment that would either save Yugi's sanity, or completely obliterate it.

Time to dance.

With the remainder of her strength, she turned away, focusing her gaze into the distance. But she had seen his face, the agony within his eyes, at her words. He wanted her so badly to forgive him.

Anzu hoped it was badly enough.

His fingers clenched into her shoulders, and she felt the warmth of his closeness, his cheek flush against hers. Felt him shiver against her, violently and uncontrollably. _Please. Please forgive me. I'm sorry. I'm sorry._

Anzu struggled to keep her voice cold, to keep it harsh. But it came out cruel.

"Take me to Kisara."

Yugi didn't need cruel. He was at the edge, his sanity negligible. Cruelty would push him further, off of that edge, and into true inescapable madness.

But cruelty was all Anzu had energy for. "I don't want to die with you. Take me to her."

For a long, agonizing time, there was silence. Anzu feared that she had failed again - failed in her last chance. Her vision began to steadily go black; the edges first, then everything else.

So she prayed. Not yet, not yet, please. Please. I can't die yet.

And then...his mind spoke to hers in the silence. _I'll take you to the dragon. _

Anzu released an exhausted breath. She'd reached him. Even through his madness, he had heard her.

Kisara would fix this. She could soothe Yugi's insanity, and protect the humans from him. For Anzu, that was enough.

Vaguely, she felt him left her back into his arms, and then they were on the wind again, traveling rapidly toward Kisara. Slowly, Anzu breathed in Yugi's scent, committing the nuances of it to her memory. He smelled of her blood, of the darkness of his madness - of undying innocence. So like a vampire, and yet so _not. _

Anzu had done the right thing. She knew it now. She had played the game, manipulated Yugi into the position she'd wanted him, and she had won.

Every part of her was steeped in cold. But her tears were hot. Anzu had never hated herself before for using Yugi; never, until this moment. It was necessary to do this, she thought. It was also evil. To hurt him like this, when he was in this state...the state of inbetween, neither human nor vampire, neither sane nor insane, neither alive nor dead. To hurt him, when she loved him enough to die for him.

It didn't matter now anymore. Kisara could and would save him. Anzu had no doubt. That very thought calmed her, until she very nearly gave into the exhaustion and succumbed to sleep.

But not now. Death couldn't have her just yet. Sleep would wait.

* * *

The smell of old death was upon the wind. She forced the scent of it out of her nostrils, turning one of her heads to the east. Dawn had come, the sky cloudless and red, and beneath morning light the hunters moved their people into the open. Otogi and Vivian had recovered some of their strength (though Otogi, for one reason or another, used Vivian's shoulder for support) and were shouting out orders in turn.

Mahaado still had yet to awaken. He would, but not for some time. Not until it was late in the morning, and past time that they should have left this place. But, Kisara supposed, it was for the best that he still slept. He would need energy to deal with what was coming, the changes that neared with every passing second.

The first change was here already. Kisara stood, the soft soil sinking beneath the weight of her talons, and arched her necks. The wind carried with it more than the smell of death; there was the scent of blood, and desperation.

The dhampir came, Anzu cradled in his arms. He rode the air currents with all of the strange grace that half-bloods seemed to possess, the strokes of his dark wings slow and nearly languid.

As one, the hunters of Battle city tensed, all movement ceasing at the sight of those wings. Kisara kept one set of eyes focused on them, watching steadily, to make certain none of them – Otogi especially – did anything rash.

She needn't have bothered, of course. Kisara had already seen this vision, had seen what would come today, and nothing would happen outside of the truth she'd witnessed all those years ago. Her visions always held true. Still, vague uneasiness welled within her – an uneasiness that had nothing to do with the dhampir.

It was what his presence signified that worried her. In all of the many centuries of her existence, she had known, but hadn't truly believed, that this day would come into fruition.

_Of the Gold, the Red, the Blue…the Blue Realm of vampires shall be the first to fall._

What shall be, shall be, she thought inwardly. Kisara had no power to change fate - to change the Will of God.

In all honesty, Kisara had very little power to do anything. So many placed their hopes upon her, but Kisara was well aware of her limitations. She was well aware, also, that she would be asked yet again to go beyond those limitations.

The dhampir boy touched down, landing in the shadow of Kisara's outstretched wings. Kisara smelled the blood upon him, Anzu's blood, and the scent of undiluted madness. He had nearly killed Anzu in his hunger, but his insanity lingered unabated.

Kisara lowered her main head, ignoring the stab of pain that riffed through her. He was nothing like her children, and yet everything like them. The insanity had taken him, just as it had taken them – her children, however, had found a way to assuage it, a way to escape the bloodlust completely.

And they had had her. This boy, this child, had grown in fear of his heritage, utterly alone, despising his vampire blood, as much an outcast as Otogi had been. But Otogi had stumbled his way into Battle city, and by doing so, had saved his sanity. Otogi was like her children in that regard; she had raised him as her own, taught him the truth of his blood, though Otogi had possessed no notion of her true identity, nor did he know that she had been the one who had ruled Battle city as First-captain before him.

Kisara felt deep regret that she could not do the same for Yugi. Dhampir, as much as full blooded vampires, needed a nurturing figure to guide them in their youth; a mother who would share her blood freely with her child, a mother who would comfort her son, her daughter, through the anguish of the blood hunger.

This child had never had that; instead of compassion and guidance, his mother had placed upon him a seal, to negate his blood's influence. A seal that had been destined to fail.

In the end, Anzu had had to pay the price of that failure; she had given up her blood, just as Kisara had known she would, to help him. But blood-lust knew no bounds – true blood-lust could only be conquered by copious amounts of death.

Kisara wouldn't allow him the chance to deal death among the hunters here. But there was a solution, one she had carefully planned, that would work to end his insanity. Or so she hoped.

_Dhampir_, she said, curving her neck around him. _What is it that you want of me?_

For a long stretch of time, he said nothing, his fingers tightening their grip over Anzu. And then the glow of his eyes grew suddenly dimmer, and he closed them, breathing deep. With excruciating gentleness, he lowered Anzu to the ground.

But he didn't let go of her. Tendrils of his hair traced over Anzu's throat, his hand absently caressing her cheek.

Kisara suppressed a second surge of pain – all of this was far too familiar. It felt, for a moment, that she was in another lifetime, one that was long past, and the people within it that she'd loved long dead. Yugi reminded her too much of herself, in the days when she'd been young…millennia upon millennia ago.

"Save her." His voice was harsh. "Please."

_You want me to reverse what you've done to her. But things are not so easy as that, dhampir. If I save her, you must do something for me._

There was no hesitation. "Anything," he whispered lowly. "Anything you want."

Kisara paused for a split second. This boy, this half-blood, really was too much like her. That made it both easy and incredibly difficult for her to commit to her plan – but it had to be done. This was a part of her old vision, the first vision she'd ever had, so she was well aware that this had to come to pass. Even if it meant many would die.

It would be the worst for him, though. No matter if Yugi was now dominated by vampire instinct, he still had a human heart, and human innocence. When he woke from this nightmare, it would be to a reality drenched in blood.

But Kisara had seen that he would survive, that he would fulfill the destiny laid out for him. His innocence would be destroyed, completely and utterly, but there was nothing for it. Better for him to kill those who had no innocence, than for him to remain entrenched in insanity, when the world needed him.

_We are going to the Blue Realm, _Kisara said, narrowing her eyes. _The Blue stands without a ruler. No doubt its nobles are fighting one another as we speak – fighting to decide who will capture Dartz's throne, who will be crowned Sub-Emperor._

She suddenly lowered all three of her heads, staring at him with all three pairs of eyes. _That is where you come in, dhampir. The hunters of Battle city need a refuge, and the Blue Realm shall serve very well as one, but we must take care of the nobles. And the Blue nobles will only bow to the one who completely conquers their will…_

"What do you want me to do?" He whispered in a soft, dead voice, as though he already knew what she would ask of him.

She wished that she didn't have to ask it of him, but fate had spoken – this was going to happen, _had _to happen. Kisara had seen it, and her visions never lied.

_There will be hostile opposition. Kill them, _she said, lifting her lips away from her teeth. _Kill all who stand against us. Take the throne of the Blue Realm, and I will heal Anzu._

* * *

_**Wow. That took so, so very long. I've been in a sort of writing slump, so please forgive the lateness of this chapter. I want to finish this. Soon. Very, very soon. And, God-willing, I'm going to do it. Thank you for your patience, if anyone is still reading this.**  
_

_**Ciao. See you next year.  
**_


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